OK      THE 

The^o  logical    Seminary. 

PRINCETON,  N.  J. 
BV  4921  .B6  1855 
(^v?  Boardman,  Henry  Augustus, 
1808-1880. 
The  great  question:  will  yo 


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A     DONATION 


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WILL  YOU  CONSIDER  THE  SUBJECT 


PERSONAL    RELIGION? 


CIjc  §xmi  Question: 
WILL  YOU  CONSIDEE  THE  SUBJECT 


PERSONAL    RELIGION? 


By  IIEKEY  a.  BOARDMA^,  D.D. 


PHILADELPHIA: 
AMERICAN    SUNDAY-SCHOOL    UNION, 

No.  31(5  CHESTNUT  STREET. 

Nkw  Yokk:  Xo.  147  Xusmu  /Street Boston:  Xo.  9  Ooi-nhill. 

Louisville:  No.  103  Fourth  Street. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1855,  by  the 

AMERICAN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL   UNION, 

in  the  Clerk's  otfice  of  the  District  Court  of  the  Eastern  District  of 
Pennsylvania. 


PREFACE. 


It  is  an  every-day  occurrence,  to  meet  with  joersons  ■who 
"feel  no  interest"  in  the  subject  of  religion,  and  who,  on  this 
ground,  excuse  themselves  from  giving  their  attention  to  it. 
I  have  in  very  many  instances  wanted  some  suitable  book  to 
place  in  the  hands  of  persons  of  this  description. 

.  Within  a  certain  l)road  and  comprehensive  sphere,  Baxter's 
Call,  AUeine's  Alarm,  Doddridge's  Rise  and  Progress,  or 
Halyburton's  Great  Concern  of  Salvation,  might  answer  the 
purpose.  But  with  a  great  number  of  individuals,  not  one  of 
these  admirable  work#  could  be  used  with  any  hope  of  its 
being  read. 

Had  I  known  where  to  find  a  book  to  meet  the  case,  the 
present  volume  would  not  have  been  written.  It  has  grown 
out  of  a  conscious  and  urgent  want.  That  it  will  fully  supply 
this  acknowledged  and  serious  deficiency  in  our  practical  re- 
ligious literature,  I  do  not  allow  myself  to  believe.     But  I 


VI  PREFACE. 

hope  it  may  prove  an  acceptable  oifering  to  .some  -who  are 
either  neglecting  their  own  duty,  or  who  have  friends  to  whom 
they  would  like  to  propose  the  question — "Will  You  Cox- 
siDER  THE  Subject  of  Personal  Religion  ?" 

With  these  views,  the  work  is  sent  to  the  press,  and  humbly 
commended  to  IIis  blessing,  who  alone  can  make  it  an  instru- 
ment of  good. 

II.  A.  B. 


Philadelphia,  April,  18j5. 


TABLE   OF   CONTENTS. 


SECTION  I. 

The  Great  Qxesfion. —  Will  you  consider  the  subject  of  personal 
religion  ? 

THE  BAR  AXD  THE  ITLTIT NO  INTEREST  IN  RE- 
LIGION  god's    right    to     be    heard THE    ONLY 

flTAY FILIAL     IMPIETY A     MYSTERY SELF-IGNO- 
RANCE  SYSTEMATIC    THOUGHTLESSNESS AN    EVIL 

OMEN ASHAMED     OF     RELIGION AN      ANOMALY 

ANTIPATHY  TO  THE  BIBLE.  1 26. 

SECTION  II. 

Illusive  pleas  examined. 

NO  ALTERNATIVE CHRISTIANITY  M'RONGED IMBE- 
CILE REASONING-ALIENATION  FROM  GOD-TYRANNY 
OF  HABIT-OBSERYATION — EXPERIENCE — THE  GREAT 
CONFLICT A  SAD  INVERSION — PROSPECTIVE  RE- 
PENTANCE  THE  HEART  HARDENED IN  EARNEST.  27 51. 

SECTION  III. 
The  pretexts  for  neglecting  religion,  irrational  and  sordid. 

MERCENARY  CALCULATIONS DIVINE  MUNIFICENCE 

THE     DYING     STATESMAN A     BASE     RETURN THE 


Vlii  CONTENTS. 

WORLD,   FIRST RELIGION  DISPARAGED RESPONSI- 
BILITY   INEVITABLE WHITE    TO    THE    HARVEST 

SINNING,     TO     REPENT INFATUATION SINCERITY 

TESTED MEANS  TO  BE  USED WILL  YOU  TRY  ?  53 79. 

SECTION  IV. 

Encouragements. 

UNREASONABLE    DEMANDS SUCCESS    TO  BE  EXPECTED 

M'HERE  IT  LISTETH WAITING GRACE   ABOUND- 
ING  OUR    IMMANUEL MISSION    OF    THE    SPIRIT 

LIVING    WITNESSES LONG-SUFFERING PAUSE 

OBDURACY THE  SPIRIT  QUENCHED.  81 106. 

SECTION  V. 
Religion  must  and  will  he  considered. 

NO  OPTION THE  WORLD  WITHDRAWN ALONE  WITH 

GOD IN      ETERNITY MERCY       AND      JUDGMENT 

BEFORE    THE    BAR REPENTANCE    OR    PERDITION 

REMEMBER AN  APPALLING  RETROSPECT REMORSE 

MISTAKEN  TENDERNESS FOR  EVER  AND  EVER 

BELIEVE  AND   LIVE.  107 I33, 

SECTION  VI. 

What  can  I  do^ 

DEPRAVITY THE    REMEDY THE    MEDIATOR FAITH 

CHRIST     OUR     RIGHTEOUSNESS SAVED CONVIC- 
TION  COME  UNTO    ME REPENTANCE  UNTO  LIFE 

JUST  AS  I  AM — A  CHART BEGIN  NOW — THE  HOUSE 

OF  PRAYER AUGUSTINE SEARCH  THE  SCRIPTURES 

— CHRISTIAN  COUNSEL PROMISE  OF  THE  SPIRIT 

PRAY  WITHOUT  CEASING— WHAT  IS  YOUR  DECISION?     135 173, 


WILL  YOU  CONSIDER  THE  SUBJECT  OF  PERSONAL 
RELIGION? 


I  called  once  upon  a  very  intelligent  profession- 
al gentleman,  for  the  purpose  of  conversing  with 
him  on  the  subject  of  religion.  I  knew  that  he 
had  received  an  excellent  Christian  education ; 
and  that  his  whole  life  had  been  one  of  exem- 
plary morality.  But  he  was  not  yet  a  communi- 
cant in  the  Church ;  and  I  was  anxious  to  learn 
the  precise  ground  he  occupied. 

After  stating  my  errand  in   general  terms,  I 

took  occasion  to  assure  him  of  the  interest  I  felt 

in  his  spiritual  welfare,  and  of  the  satisfaction  it 

would  afford  me,  to  see  him  giving  his  personal 

2 


Z  THE    GREAT    QUESTION. 

attention  to  the  requirements  of  the  Gospel,  and 
identifying  himself  with  its  professed  disciples. 
He  heard  me  with  something  more  than  respect- 
ful courtesy,  and  when  I  paused,  replied  substan- 
tially as  follows : — 

"I  feel  grateful  to  you  for  your  kindness  in 
coming  to  me  on  this  errand.  I  cordially  assent 
to  all  you  have  said  on  the  great  importance  of 
personal  religion.  I  wish  from  my  heart  I  felt 
the  interest  in  it  which  you  have  described.  I 
know  this  ought  to  be  the  case,  and  trust  the  time 
is  coming  when  it  will  be.  But  as  a  matter  of 
fact,  I  must  candidly  say  to  you,  that  I  feel  no 
such  interest  in  the  subject  at  present." 

"  I  highly  appreciate,"  I  responded,  "  the  frank- 
ness of  your  answer ;  it  is  what  I  should  have  ex- 
pected from  your  training,  and  your  known  prin- 
ciples. I  am  aware,  too,  of  the  serious  nature  of 
the  impediment  in  your  way.  It  is  a  difficult 
matter  to  take  up  a  subject  and  examine  it,  about 
which  one  feels  no   particular  concern,   and   to 


THE     BAR    AND     THE     PULPIT.  3 

which  there  may  even  be  a  conscious  antipathy. 
But  religion  is  of  such  paramount  moment,  and 
the  consequences  of  neglecting  it  are  so  irrepara- 
ble, that  neither  this  nor  any  other  obstacle  should 
hinder  us  from  attending  to  it.  Are  you  willing 
to  read  on  the  subject,  and  to  do  other  things 
which  may  be  adapted  to  inspire  you  with  that 
interest  in  it,  the  want  of  which  you  are  deplor- 
ing." 

To  this  he  readily  assented.  I  suggested  some 
books  for  his  perusal,  and,  with  a  few  counsels, 
left  him.  It  is  not  for  man  always  to  trace 
out  the  subtle  mechanism  of  causes  and  effects. 
JSTor  do  I  know,  what  agency,  or  whether  any,  this 
interview  may  have  had  in  the  subsequent  result. 
But  it  is  my  happiness  to  know,  that  this  able  and 
estimable  man,  not  very  long  afterward,  made  a 
profession  of  religion,  and  has  now  been  for  sev- 
eral years,  a  most  active  and  efficient  Christian 
minister,  consistent  in  his  life,  abundant  in  his 
labors,  and  eminently  useful. 

This  is  by  no  means  a  solitary  example  of  the 


4  THE     GREAT     QUESTION. 

kind.  Many  an  individual  occupying  tlie  same 
ground  with  my  friend,  has,  by  a  similar  process 
been  put  in  possession  of  a  sure  and  comfortable 
hope  of  eternal  life.  Very  many  others  there  are, 
who  are  neglecting  their  salvation,  purely  on  the 
ground,  that  they  "feel  too  little  interest"  in  the 
matter,  to  take  it  up  ;  too  little  even  to  be  willing 
to  examine  the  gracious  offers  of  the  Gospel.  It 
is  this  class  of  persons  to  whom  I  beg  to  propose 
the  question :  "  "Will  you  consider  the  subject 
OF  PERSONAL  RELIGION?"  That  we  may  perfectly 
understand  each  other,  let  me  define  what  I  sup- 
pose to  be  your  state  of  mind. 

You  receive  Christianity  as  a  divine  system. 
You  assent  to  its  teachings.  You  admit  the  great 
alternative  it  presents,  of  faith  and  repentance,  or 
perdition.  You  go  with  more  or  less  regularity 
to  the  Sanctuary.  You  honor  those  who  show 
themselves  to  be  real  Christians.  You  hope  one 
day  to  be  among  them.  But  you  are  not  ready 
for  this  now.  You  "  feel  no  particular  interest  in 
the  subject;"  and  when  it  is  pressed  upon  you, 


NO     INTEREST     IN     RELIGION.  5 

you  fall  back  upon  this  state  of  indifference,  as 
supplying  a  reason  wliy  you  should  pass  all  such 
appeals  over  to  your  neighbors,  instead  of  appro- 
priating them  to  yourselves.  You  expect  some 
day,  to  feel  the  interest  in  religion,  which  you  at 
present  lack,  and  then  you  will  bestow  upon  it, 
that  careful  consideration  which  it  demands.  Till 
that  time  comes,  you  must  be  excused. 

Now  if  this  be  a  just  conception  of  the  matter, 
you  cannot  fail  to  see,  that  it  brings  you  within 
the  full  sweep  of  the  penalties  denounced  in  the 
Scriptures  against  inconsideration.  It  is  no  an- 
swer to  this  charge,  to  plead  the  "  want  of  a  dis- 
position" to  consider  the  subject.  If  you  should 
submit  a  certain  scheme  of  business  or  domestic 
policy  to  your  children,  and  require  their  instant 
attention  to  it,  you  would  be  quite  indignant 
should  they  treat  it  with  neglect,  and  then  tell 
you,  by  way  of  apology,  that  they  "felt  no  inter- 
est" in  examining  it.  In  your  view,  there  would 
be  two  sufficient  reasons,  why  they  should  have 
examined  it  mthout  delay.     First,  because  of  its 


6  THE     GKEAT     QUESTION. 

intrinsic  importance  :  and  secondly,  because  you 
wished  and  commanded  it.  You  would  regard 
these  considerations  as  paramount  and  control- 
ling; as  absolutely  barring  all  objections  on  their 
part,  to  a  compliance  with  your  instructions. 
Their  predisposition  to  neglect  the  matter,  might 
even,  if  foreseen,  have  been  a  motive  with  you  for 
urging  it  upon  them ;  and  what  they  ofiered  as  a 
palliation  of  their  remissness,  might,  in  your 
judgment,  add  to  its  criminality. 

Deal  honestly,  and  apply  this  reasoning  to  the 
case  we  have  in  hand.  You  will  not  impugn  the 
plenary  right  of  the  Deity,  to  submit  to  us  any 
subject,  or  prescribe  to  us  any  course  of  conduct, 
he  may  see  fit ;  and  enjoin  our  immediate  atten- 
tion to  it.  Should  a  personage,  claiming  to  have 
a  message  for  you  from  God,  and  exhibiting  com- 
petent credentials,  present  himself  to  you,  your 
feeling  would  be,  tbat  eveiything  else  must  give 
way  to  this  interview;  that  to  subject  the  ambas- 
sador, to  a  moment's  unnecessaiy  delay,  would  be 
an  insult  to  his  Master ;  that  whenever  and  hoAv- 


GOD    S     RIGHT     TO     BE     HEARD.  T 

soever  it  was  God's  pleasure  to  speak  to  you,  it 
was  your  indispensable  duty  to  hear  and  to  obey. 
But  God  has  spoken  to  you.  He  is  speaking  to 
you  daily.  He  is  speaking  not  only  by  prophets 
and  apostles  duly  accredited,  but  by  his  beloved 
Son.  His  communication  is  in  your  hands.  It  is 
in  a  tongue  you  can  understand.  You  have 
access  to  it  every  hour  of  your  life.  It  is,  at 
stated  intervals,  set  forth  in  your  hearing.  You 
cannot  but  know  what  the  substance  of  it  is.  Will 
it  therefore,  avail  you  anything,  to  plead  that  you 
have  neglected  it,  because  you  had  "  no  dispo- 
sition" to  consider  it?  K  your  obligation  to 
attend  to  it,  had  been  suspended  on  your  state  of 
feeling,  this  might  avail.  But  there  is  no  such 
contingency  in  the  case.  It  was  not  in  ignorance 
of  your  state  of  mind,  that  the  message  was  sent. 
He  who  sees  the  end  from  the  beginning,  fore- 
knew precisely,  how  you  would  be  situated,  and 
how  you  would  feel ;  but  he  did  not  suppress  nor 
modify  the  message.  He  has  caused  it  to  be  laid 
before  you  in  its  integrity,  and  demands  your  can- 
did, thorough,  and  prayerful  consideration  of  it,  as 


8  THE     GKEAT     QUESTION. 

your  prime  duty — a  duty  which  must  take  prece- 
dence of  all  your  secular  plans  and  purposes  what- 
soever. 

It  is  a  mere  evasion  of  this  claim,  to  urge  that 
you  will  give  your  attention  to  it,  when  you  feel 
"  more  inclined"  to  think  of  it;  an  evasion  which 
if  attempted  towards  you  by  your  children,  would 
bring  down  upon  them  your  swift  displeasure. 
In  one  aspect,  it  is  even  a  worse  affront  to  God, 
than  a  positive  rejection  of  the  message ;  for  it  is 
a  refusal  to  obey,  coupled  with  a  full  acknowledg- 
ment of  his  authority  to  command.  You  admit 
that  it  is  God  who  speaks  to  you,  and  yet  you 
will  not  consider  what  he  says.  With  what  pun- 
gent significancy  might  He  say  to  you,  "If  I  be  a 
father,  where  is  mine  honor  ?  and  if  I  be  a  master, 
where  is  my  fear?" 

Take  another  view  of  the  ground  you  occupy. 
The  absolute  right  of  the  Supreme  Being  to  pro- 
pound any  theme  whatsoever,  for  your  examina- 
tion, has   been   conceded.     It   may   aid   you   in 


THE    ONLY    WAY.  9 

estimating  the  guilt  of  your  inconsideration,  to  re- 
flect ou  the  import  of  the  communication  he  has 
actually  submitted  to  you.  Kot  to  launch  forth 
here  upon  a  boundless  sea,  let  it  suiS.ce  to  say, 
that  the  Bible  contains  the  only  adequate  revela- 
tion of  the  character  and  will  of  God,  and  dis- 
closes the  only  path  which  leads  from  earth  to 
heaven.  If  our  reason  and  consciences  were  in  a 
healthful  condition,  it  would  startle  us,  should  we 
ever  be  conscious  of  an  indisposition  to  think  of 
Him  who  made  us,  and  in  whom  we  live  and 
move,  and  have  our  being.  For  what  can  be 
more  rational ;  what  more  unavoidable,  one  might 
almost  say,  than  that  an  intelligent  creature 
should  love  to  think  of  its  Creator?  And  yet 
this  is  one  part  of  the  very  sin  here  laid  at  the 
door  of  those  with  whom  we  are  arguing;  an 
aversion  to  think  of  God. 

Meditations'  upon  his  attributes,  especially  his 
moral  attributes,  are  unwelcome  to  you.  You 
have  a  tacit  compact  with  yourself,  that  this 
subject  is  to  be  shunned  whenever  it  can  be ;  and 


10  THE    GREAT    QUESTION. 

80,  instead  of  sitting  down  to  dwell  upon  the  holi- 
ness, the  justice,  the  love,  and  the  mercy  of  the 
Deity,  it  is  a  grateful  relief  to  you  on  the  Sab- 
bath, when  the  benediction  dismisses  you  from 
the  Sanctuary,  and  you  can  go  where  you  will 
not  be  compelled  to  hear  about  God.  Surely 
there  must  have  been  some  fearful  dislocation  of 
your  moral  faculties,  when  the  essential  instincts 
of  your  nature  are  thus  overborne,  and  you  can 
breathe  freely  only  in  an  atmosphere  surcharged 
with  atheism. 

To  recur  to  our  illustration ;  what  would  you 
think  of  a  group  of  children,  who  did  their  best  to 
forget  a  wise  and  affectionate  father;  who  drew 
their  daily  support  from  his  bounty,  without  ever 
thanking  him  ;  who  availed  themselves  of  his  pro- 
tection when  in  danger,  and  experienced  his  sym- 
pathy in  sickness  and  sorrow,  without  acknow- 
ledging his  goodness ;  who  rarely  mentioned  his 
name  in  their  domestic  intercourse,  unless  it  was 
to  point  a  jest,  or  energize  an  oath;  who  if  they 
could  avoid  it,  would  not  even  permit  their  minds 


FILIAL     IMPIETY.  11 

to  dwell  upon  him,  and  when  they  heard  others 
celebrate  his  virtues,  found  it  a  wearisome  and 
stupid  theme,  to  be  entertained  only  so  long  as 
good  breeding  might  require  ?  Could  an  example 
of  this  sort  be  found  among  the  households 
around  you,  you  well  know  how  notorious  it 
would  soon  become  as  an  illustration  of  the 
blackest  filial  impiety ;  how  those  unnatural  chil- 
dren would  be  pointed  at,  as  a  set  of  monsters ; 
and  how  their  names  would  awaken  emotions  of 
horror  in  every  generous  bosom. 

But  what  are  you  doing?  Have  you  not  a 
Father,  wise,  bountiful,  affectionate;  who  sup- 
plies your  daily  bread,  clothes  you,  guards  you, 
heals  you,  comforts  you,  never  wearies  in  doing 
you  good,  never  ceases  opening  to  you  fresh 
sources  of  enjoyment?  K  so,  you  at  least,  who 
are  so  indignant  at  the  display  of  ingratitude  and 
hardihood  we  have  just  been  contemplating,  are 
earnest  and  constant  in  rendering  to  your  Father 
the  love  and  the  homage  which  are  his  due.  His 
name  is  often  on  your  lips.     His  ear  often  drinks 


12  THE     GREAT     QUESTION. 

in  the  accents  of  praise  wliieli  you  pour  forth  on 
your  bended  knees.  The  book  which  reveals 
him  is  your  most  delightful  study.  Those  who 
love  and  honor  him  most  are  your  favorite  com- 
panions. The  Sabbath  is  the  choicest  day  of  the 
seven,  because  it  brings  the  most  leisure  for  com- 
munion with  him.  And  you  would  rather  be  a 
door-keeper  in  his  house  than  to  dwell  in  the 
tents  of  wickedness.  Is  it  thus  with  you  ?  Alas, 
how  humiliating  the  reflection,  that  it  may  be  in 
all  things  the  very  reverse ;  that  even  with  such  a 
Father  you  make  no  suitable  return  of  gratitude ; 
own  him  not  in  your  business,  nor  in  your  family ; 
rarely  open  his  word;  seldom,  if  ever,  utter  his 
name  ;  have  no  love  for  his  ordinances ;  find  his 
Sabbaths  a  burden,  and  repel  the  very  thought  of 
him  from  your  breast,  when  it  seeks  to  return 
after  you  have  accomplished  the  perfunctory 
routine  of  public  worship  !  "What  estimate,  in  all 
honesty,  ought  you  to  put  upon  this  conduct  ? 
And  what  dimensions  will  you  assign  to  the 
flagrancy  of  that  inconsideration  which  makes  you 
shun  all  serious  thoughts  of  God  ? 


A    MYSTERY.  13 

Marvellous  as  this  phenomenon  must  appear, 
there  is  another  no  way  inferior  to  it.  The  in- 
consideration  which  the  Bible  lays  at  your  door, 
has  respect  no  less  to  your  own  cJiaracter  than  to 
God.  It  might  be  supposed,  that  if  an  intelligent 
creature  could,  under  the  pressure  of  some  strange 
mental  or  moral  obliquity,  live  in  the  practical 
forgetfulness  of  the  Being  who  made  him,  it  would 
at  least  be  impossible  for  him  to  avoid  thinking 
much  about  himself  and  his  own  paramount  rela- 
tions and  prospects.  It  would  be  taken  for  grant- 
ed that  everything  pertaining  to  himself  would 
awaken  his  deepest  interest,  and  be  made  the 
subject  of  earnest  study,  just  in  proportion  as  it 
might  bear  with  more  or  less  urgency  upon  his 
happiness. 

Kow,  it  must  certainly  be  conceded,  that  you 
do  think  much  about  yourself.  The  very  neglect 
of  God,  of  which  we  have  just  spoken,  is  combined 
with  an  enthronement  of  self  in  the  heart,  and 
around  this  centre  all  the  plans  of  life  are  made 
to  revolve.     Instead  of  living  for  God,  you  live 


14  THE    GREAT    QUESTION. 

for  yourself.     His  claims  are  adjourned  that  your 
own  may  be  honored. 

And  yet  it  may  be  true  that  you  are  guilty  of 
an  extreiue  and  highly  criminal  inconsideration 
as  regards  yourself.  It  may  be  that  the  things 
concerning  yourself,  which  engross  your  attention, 
are  stamped  with  utter  insignificance  when  com- 
pared with  other  things  which  you  neglect.  It 
may  be,  that  ha^dng  (as  we  all  have)  two  distinct 
classes  of  attributes  and  two  sets  of  relations,  the 
inferior  and  transitory  of  these  series  so  monopo- 
lizes your  care,  that  you  have  neither  leisure  nor 
inclination  to  look  after  the  other.  At  once  mor- 
tal and  immortal,  dying  and  yet  deathless,  is  it 
not  the  case,  that  the  personal  objects  which 
occupy  you,  are  objects,  all  of  which  are  bounded 
by  the  narrow  horizon  of  the  present  life  ? 

Claim  for  these  objects  whatever  magnitude 
you  may ;  set  forth  in  whatsoever  terms  their  in- 
trinsic value  and  the  reasonableness,  and  even 
necessity,  of  pursuing  them ;  expatiate  on  the  im- 


SELF-IGNORANCE.  15 

portance  and  obligation  of  a  man's  providing  for 
his  family,  and  giving  diligent  lieed  to  his  busi- 
ness, and  on  the  fitness  of  those  social  relaxations 
in  which  you  are  accustomed  to  indulge.  Every 
thing  you  can  equitably  demand  on  these  points 
will  be  conceded,  and  you  will  still  be  compelled 
to  acknowledge  that  all  these  interests  are  "  of  the 
earth,  earthy,"  and  that  they  are  no  more  to  be 
ranked  with  other  interests  you  have,  than  the 
body  with  the  soul,  and  time  with  eternity. 

Is  there  no  room  here  for  the  charge  of  culpable 
neglect  ?  Is  it  a  calumny  to  intimate,  that  among 
those  into  whose  hands  this  book  may  fall,  there 
may  be  some  individual  who  rarely  devotes  an 
hour's  serious  consideration  to  the  wants,  the 
perils  and  the  duties  of  his  spiritual  nature  ?  You 
understand  well  your  relations  to  the  world,  but 
when  have  you  investigated  your  relations  to 
Grod  ?  You  are  at  home  on  every  question  per- 
taining to  your  secular  engagements,  but  what  do 
you  know  in  respect  to  the  state  of  your  soul  ? 
You  keep  pace  with  the  progress  of  public  affairs. 


16  THE    GREAT    QUESTION.  - 

and  scan  tlie  journals  of  every  day  with  eager 
curiosity  to  learn  what  is  happening  in  Washing- 
ton and  in  London,  at  St.  Petersburgh  and  Can- 
ton ;  but  what  progress  are  you  making  in '  self- 
knowledge,  and  how  much  time  do  you  bestow 
upon  the  current  of  events  within  your  own  bosom 
— those  events  which  will  affect  you  for  good  or  for 
evil,  millions  of  ages  after  this  globe,  with  its  cities 
and  empires,  shall  have  been  burned  up  ? 

Is  it  not  a  most  surprising  exhibition  of  incon- 
sideration,  that  an  individual  should  rarely,  if 
ever  commune  with  his  own  heart?  That  he 
should  know  more  of  whsit  is  passing  on  the  oppo- 
site side  of  the  globe,  than  of  his  own  real  condi- 
tion ?  That  he  should  actually  spend  more  time 
in  studying  the  character  and  career  of  some 
foreign  scholar,  soldier  or  usurper,  than  he  does 
in  examining  his  own  principles  and  ascertaining 
his  duties  and  prospects  ? 

This  were  strange  enough,  if  it  could  be  set 
down  to  the  account  of  constitutional  levity,  or 


SYSTEMATIC    THOUGHTLESSNESS.  17 

assigned  to  the  category  of  mere  fortuitous  results, 
such  as  in  other  departments  diversify  the  tapestiy 
of  human  life,  without  having  any  very  tangible 
causes.  But  it  assumes  a  more  serious  aspect, 
when  it  is  found  that  the  parties  in  question  prac- 
tise this  self-neglect  of  set  purpose ;  that  theirs  is 
a  considerate  inconsideration ;  that  they  refrain 
from  looking  into  their  own  hearts  on  system  and 
from  absolute  aversion.  This  appears  such  a  crime 
against  the  rational  nature  the  Creator  has  endow- 
ed us  with,  that  the  statement  would  be  deemed 
incredible,  if  the  proofs  of  it  were  not  too  incon- 
trovertible to  be  resisted. 

There  are,  on  every  side  of  us,  persons  whom 
neither  argument  nor  entreaty  can  prevail  upon 
to  enter  into  a  close  and  searching  scrutiny  of 
their  own  breasts.  They  are  perfectly  aware  that 
they  have  a  long  and  very  grave  account  with 
God ;  but  they  have  no  wish  to  know  how  it 
stands.  They  are  conscious  that  they  must  die, 
and  that  they  may  die  at  any  moment ;  but  they 
have  no  wish  to  meet  the  question,  "Am  I  pre- 

3* 


18  THE     GREAT     QUESTION. 

pared  for  deatli?"  Tliey  are  anticipating  an  end- 
less existence  beyond  the  grave ;  but  tbey  are  un- 
willing to  turn  their  eyes  inward  long  enough  to 
learn  whether  it  is  everlasting  glory  or  eternal 
shame  for  which  they  are  ripening.  There  is  a 
something  there  which  repels  them.  They  cannot 
bear  to  hold  fellowship  with  themselves.  They 
would  sooner  look  anywhere  than  into  their  own 
hearts.  Questions  of  trade  interest  them ;  ques- 
tions of  politics,  of  science,  of  literature ;  the  trivial 
incidents  of  every-day  life;  the  interchanges  of 
friendship ;  for  all  these  they  have  an  eye  and  an 
ear.  But  when  it  comes  to  inquiries  like  these  : 
"What  am  I?  Where  am  I?  Whither  am  I 
tending  ?  What  portion  has  my  soul  ?  How  can 
I  meet  my  God?"  all  their  interest  vanishes. 
They  drive  out  these  topics  from  their  breasts  as 
they  would  a  set  of  intrusive  visitors  from  their 
houses,  and  replace  them  with  the  evanescent,  but 
more  grateful  themes  which  are  clothed  with  the 
tinsel  livery  of  earth. 

An  impartial  judge  would  be  apt  to  say,  on  this 


AN    EVIL    OMEN.  19 

naked  showing  of  facts,  that  there  must  be  some- 
thing radically  wi'ong  here.  And,  to  deal  frankly, 
does  it  not  strike  you  so  also — you,  I  mean,  who 
are  implicated  in  this  representation  ?  Admitting, 
as  you  do,  the  existence  of  all  those  relations  of 
which  we  have  been  speaking,  you  cannot  but  re- 
gard it  as  an  evil  omen  that  you  should  be  con- 
scious of  an  indisposition  to  reflect  on  your  own 
course  of  life,  to  weigh  your  motives,  to  explore 
the  recesses  of  your  heart,  and  learn  what  manner 
of  spirit  you  are  of.  There  must  be,  underneath 
this  superficial  complacency  of  demeanor,  a  latent 
feeling  that  things  are  not  with  you  as  they  should 
be.  You  are  probably  no  stranger  to  the  misgiv- 
ings of  the  merchant  who  fears  to  make  out  a 
balance-sheet,  lest  it  may  prove  him  a  bankrupt ; 
or  the  misgivings  of  an  invalid,  who  shrinks  from 
consulting  a  physician,  because  he  believes  him- 
self smitten  with  a  fatal  malady.  But  however 
that  may  be,  these  secret  apprehensions  are  held 
in  check,  and  you  live  on  in  a  voluntary  igno- 
rance of  yourself,  which  would  excite  universal 
wonder,  if  the  depravity  which  produces  it  were 
not  also  universal. 


20  THE    GREAT    QUESTION. 

My  object  in  presenting  these  considerations,  is 
to  lead  yon  to  reflect  with  calmness  and  imparti- 
ality on  the  position  yon  occnpy.  The  charge  the 
Scriptures  bring  against  you  is,  that  you  will  not 
consider;  that  while  the  beasts  of  the  field,  even 
the  least  sagacious  of  them,  the  ox  and  the  ass, 
act  in  accordance  with  the  laws  of  their  constitu- 
tion, you  live  in  the  violation  of  those  laws ;  that 
the  subjects  to  which  your  inconsideration  applies, 
are  of  no  mere  speculative  character,  but  pre- 
eminently practical  and  important ;  that  you  are 
even  unwilling  to  think  seriously  of  your  Creator, 
and  what  is  yet  more  surprising,  to  think  seriously 
of  yourself. 

The  impression  which  such  an  exposition  is 
adapted  to  make  upon  your  mind,  will  be  still 
further  confii'med,  when  you  remember  that  this 
inconsideration,  this  unwillingness  to  reflect  and 
investigate,  extends  to  the  whole  subject  of 
Religion.  It  is  not  improbable  that  your  associa- 
tions with  this  veiy  word  may  be  disagreeable,  or 
at  least  unwelcome.  Against  religion  in  the  ab- 
stract you  have  nothing  to  say.     You  assent  to 


ASHAMED    OP    RELIGION.  21 

its  teachings.  You  respect  its  institutions.  Yon 
desire  its  prosperity.  You  attend,  not  without 
some  interest,  upon  its  public  ministrations.  But 
when  it  comes  to  be  a  personal  matter,  to  tlie 
reading  of  a  religious  book,  to  a  religious  conver- 
sation with  a  Christian  friend,  to  prayer,  to  any 
thing  which  looks  directly  to  your  becoming  reli- 
gious, then  your  aversion  to  it  begins  to  work. 

If  on  entering  a  room  alone  you  should  see .  a 
table  covered  with  books,  and  on  taking  one  of 
them  up  should  find  it  a  religious  treatise,  would 
you  not  lay  it  down  with  an  emotion  almost 
amounting  to  positive  antipathy?  Should  you 
happen  to  sit  down  at  the  same  table,  with  an 
open  Bible  before  you,  would  not  the  first  sound 
of  an  approaching  footstep  make  you  shut  up  the 
volume  and  move  fi'om  the  place,  lest  perchance 
some  one  might  suspect  you  of  reading  the  Scrip- 
tures ?  Or,  to  proceed  a  step  further,  should  your 
pastor  call  to  converse  with  you  on  the  subject  of 
religion,  would  you  not,  if  possible,  elude  either 
the  interview  or  the  subject  ?     Would  you  not 


22     >  THE    GREAT    QUESTION. 

decline  a  walk  with  a  Cliristian  friend,  if  you 
thought  he  might  avail  himself  of  the  opportunity 
to  address  you  in  a  serious  and  pointed  way  on 
the  question  of  your  salvation  ?  "Would  it  not  be 
distasteful  to  you  to  join  a  social  circle,  where  you 
knew  the  great  themes  of  evangelical  Christianity 
would  he  the  leading  topics  of  the  evening  ?  I 
do  not  affirm  these  things,  but  if  they  are  so,  if 
your  own  conscience  assents  to  the  substantial 
accuracy  of  this  representation,  what  an  affecting 
view  have  we  presented  to  us  of  your  moral  con- 
dition ! 

You  aspire,  we  will  suppose,  to  the  character  of 
a  cultivated  and  refined  person.  You  are  eager 
in  the  pursuit  of  knowledge.  You  search  for  it 
in  the  depths  of  the  ocean,  and  along  the  star-lit 
galleries  of  the  firmament.  You  can  spend  hours 
in  analyzing  a  flower  or  decomposing  a  drop  of 
water.  You  are  willing  to  take  lessons  from  the 
birds,  the  fishes,  the  insects,  from  the  very  peb- 
bles under  your  feet.  You  range  through  all 
history.     You  study  foreign  languages  that  you 


AN    ANOMALY.  23 

may  explore  the  libraries  and  decipher  the  monu- 
ments of  other  lands.  Wlierever  knowledge  is  to 
be  acquired,  in  the  humblest  repositories  or  in  the 
most  inaccessible,  you  are  ready  for  the  eifort. 
But  it  is  all  with  this  single  and  most  remarkable 
exception.  Here  is  a  volume  which  contains 
more  truth,  and  truth  of  greater  importance,  than 
all  other  volumes  combined.  Where  other  books 
deal  in  guesses  and  hypotheses,  and  where  nature 
is  silent,  this  book  speaks  with  distinctness,  with 
fullness,  and  with  authority.  It  is  in  fact  the  only 
source  to  which  we  can  look  for  satisfactory  infor- 
mation respecting  our  Creator,  ourselves,  and  the 
way  of  salvation.  And  it  is  commended  to  us  by 
having  impressed  upon  it  that  sublime  title,  "the 
WISDOM  OF  God."  Yet  from  this  book  you  turn 
away !  The  volume  which  it  might  be  presumed 
would  draw  every  lover  of  truth  to  its  pages  with 
an  irresistible  attraction,  is  the  very  work  which 
you  find  jejune  and  prosaic;  so  much  so,  that  it 
even  imparts  the  same  taint  to  every  work  deduced 
from  it. 

If  the  cause  of  this  phenomenon  be  inquired 


24  THE    GREAT    QUESTION. 

into,  it  will  readily  be  discovered.  Tlie  Bible  is 
not  simply  a  book  of  science  or  a  book  of  litera- 
ture, but  a  religious  book.  "We  must  eliminate 
the  religious  element,  if  we  wish  to  invest  it  with 
the  charms  which  belong  to  so  many  uninspired 
productions.  Man  thirsts  for  knowledge  ;  hut  even 
his  desire  of  knowledge  is  not  so  stt^ong  as  his  enmity 
to  Crod,  and  he  will  sooner  forego  the  indulgence 
of  one  of  his  most  powerful  natural  appetites, 
than  gratify  it  at  the  cost  of  being  brought  into 
immediate  intercourse  with  his  Maker.  He  will 
pursue  truth  with  an  unfaltering  step  and  an  un- 
slumbering  eye  throughout  the  universe,  until  she 
enters  that  refulgent  sphere  where  the  throne  of 
God  and  of  the  Lamb  is ;  then,  as  if  smitten  by  a 
paralysis  or  struck  with  insanity,  he  can  no  longer 
discern  any  form  or  comeliness  in  her,  and  she 
has  no  beauty  that  he  should  desire  her.  The 
moment  she  arrays  herself  in  the  vestments  of 
holiness,  she  becomes  as  much  an  object  of  repul- 
sion, as  she  had  before  been  of  loveliness.  Clad  in 
the  coarsest  fabrics  of  earth  she  is  sure  of  his 
homage  ;  transfigm-ed  in  the  splendors  of  the  un- 


ANTIPATHY    TO    THE    BIBLE.  25 

created  glory,  and  his  veneration  is  clianged  to 
hatred. 

You  will  not  say  that  this  sketch  is  unreal  or 
exaggerated.  It  is  vindicated  by  the  confessions 
of  too  many  individuals  to  be  set  aside  as  savor- 
ing of  extravagance.  The  fact  it  assumes  is  one 
to  be  seriously  pondered,  viz.:  the  prevalence 
among  so  many,  even  educated  persons,  of  a  posi- 
tive antipathy  to  religious  truth ;  the  utter  distaste 
which  you  yourself  may  feel  to  the  reading  of  the 
Bible  and  to  serious  reflection  on  its  teachings. 
Kor  is  this  t^ie  whole  truth.  Connect  with  the 
fact  just  stated,  the  feelings  sometimes,  perhaps 
habitually,  awakened  in  your  bosom  when  the 
claims  of  religion  are  pressed  home  upon  you  for 
immediate  action.  Are  you  not  conscious  on 
these  occasions  of  a  great  repugnance  to  the  sub- 
ject ?  Are  you  not  apt  to  feel  that  religion  would 
interfere  with  your  enjoyments?  Do  you  not 
blend  with  it  ideas  of  austerity  and  gloom,  and 
treat  it  as  you  would  some  impending  calamity 
which,  since  it  could  not  be  eluded  altogether, 
4 


26  THE    GREAT    QUESTION. 

you  would  avert  as  long  as  possible,  and  tlien 
submit  to  it  witb  such  resignation  as  you  might 
command  ?  And  is  it  not  under  the  influence  of 
sentiments  like  these,  that  you  so  often  put  the 
subject  away  from  you,  and  refuse  even  to  con- 
sider it  ? 


Sntioji  II. 

ILLUSIVE     PLEAS    EXAMINED. 

Here,  then,  there  is  a  palpable  want  of  con- 
gruity  between  religion  and  your  feelings.  Is  the 
fault  with  you  or  with  religion  ?  Is  religion  that 
harsh,  cheerless,  morose  system  which  you  have 
imagined  it  to  be,  or  are  your  faculties  so  dis- 
ordered that  you  have  entirely  mistaken  its 
nature  ?  For  the  sake  of  argument  let  us  assume 
that  you  are  right  in  your  estimate  of  religion. 
Let  us  suppose  that  it  is  a  scheme  of  faith  and 
morals  adverse  to  present  enjoyment;  that  it  for- 
bids even  what  we  are  accustomed  to  regard  as 
innocent  pleasures ;  that' the  life  to  which  it  calls 
us  is  a  gloomy  life ;  that  its  paths  are  full  of 
thorns  with  only  here  and  there  a  flower,  and 
that  whatever  it  may  promise  for  the  future,  it 
has  little  or  nothing  to  recommend  it  in  so  far  as 
this  world  is  concerned. 


28  THE    GKEAT    QUESTION. 

Conceding  all  this,  of  what  avail  would  it  he  in 
justifying  or  even  extenuating  your  neglect  of  re- 
ligion ?  The  vital  question  is,  whether  Christian- 
ity is  of  God.  K  it  is,  all  arguments  drawn  from 
its  nature,  with  a  view  of  discrediting  its  claims 
to  our  ohedience,  must  he  inconclusive  and  im- 
pertinent. For  if  Christianity  is  true,  it  proposes 
to  us  the  only  method  of  reconciliation  to  God, 
and  the  only  means  by  which  we  can  escape  ever- 
lasting torments.  What  could  he  more  idle,  then, 
than  to  talk  of  the  "inconveniences  and  trials"  to 
which  the  reception  of  its  doctrines  might  subject 
us  ?  K  a  profession  of  Christianity  even  involved 
imminent  personal  peril ;  if,  as  in  the  early  days 
of  the  church,  we  were  liable  to  be  hurried  off 
fi'om  the  Lord's  Supper  to  the  dungeon,  or  the 
stake,  what  then  ?  Is  the  rage  of  them,  who  at 
most,  can  only  kill  the  body,  to  be  more  dreaded 
than  his  wrath,  who  can  destroy  both  soul  and 
body  in  hell  ?  Make  the  way  to  heaven  as  rough 
and  thorny  as  you  choose ;  multiply  its  obstacles ; 
magnify  its  dangers ;  add  any  practicable  amount 
of  actual  suffering,  as  the  indispensable  portion  of 


NO    ALTERNATIVE.  29 

every  traveller ;  so  it  really  conducts  to  heaven, 
all  these  hinderances  combined,  are  not  of  the 
weight  of  a  grain  of  sand,  contemplated  in  their 
bearing  upon  the  question,  "What  ought  I  to 
do  ?"  The  instant  you  concede  the  truth  of  the 
Bible,  you  are  shut  up  to  a  foregone  conclusion. 
It  is  at  once  the  height  of  arrogance,  and  the  ex- 
treme of  folly,  to  admit  that  God  has  spoken  to 
us,  and  then  to  palter  about  "  considering  and 
obeying"  his  commands,  because  the  tone  of  them 
does  not  suit  us,  or  obedience  to  them  may  expose 
us  to  trouble. 

But  we  can  stand  upon  firmer  ground  than  this. 
The  concession  just  made  is  a  sheer  gratuity. 
Religion  is  no  such  gloomy  and  prison-like  sys- 
tem. Its  mission  in  our  world,  is  one  of  God-like 
beneficence.  Its  hands  are  full  of  blessings.  Its 
paths  are  peace.  It  confers  substantial  happiness 
here,  as  well  as  a  title  to  perfect  and  eternal 
happiness  hereafter.  The  evidences  of  this  are 
within  your  reach.     They  are  to  be  found  in  the 

Bible  itself,  and  in  the  united  testimony  of  all 

4* 


30  THE    GREAT    QUESTION. 

who  liave  liad  experience  of  its  benefits.  Not 
indeed,  that  a  religious  life  involves  no  difficul- 
ties. It  is  justly  represented,  as  a  warfare,  an  ex- 
terminating warfare.  It  must  needs  be  a  road 
somewhat  rough  and  dangerous,  which  leads  from 
a  revolted  world  to  heaven.  But  the  veiy  fact 
that  you  can  conceive  of  this  system,  as  one  hos- 
tile to  your  present  enjoyment,  and  adapted  to 
throw  the  sombre  hues  of  the  grave,  over  all  that 
is  bright  and  cheerful  in  life,  illustrates  the  evil 
tendency  of  your  inconsideration.  You  are  re- 
pelled from  the  consideration  of  it,  because  it 
wears  to  your  eye  so  lowering  an  aspect.  If  you 
must  barter  away  your  cheerfulness,  you  will  at 
least  postpone  the  sacrifice  as  long  as  possible. 

Do  you  not  believe  that  God  is  a  Being  of  infi- 
nite goodness  and  mercy,  and  that  he  delights, 
not  in  the  misery,  but  in  the  happiness  of  his 
creatures  ?  Does  not  this  very  scheme  of  religion, 
about  which  we  are  arguing,  attest  his  concern 
for  our  welfare,  in  a  manner  adapted  to  silence 
all  doubts,  and  extinguish  all  skepticism  ?     Is  the 


CHRISTIANITY    WRONGED.  31 

sentiment  to  be  tolerated  for  one  moment,  that 
he  who  so  loved  the  world,  as  to  give  his  only 
begotten  Son  to  die  for  it,  could  frame  a  system 
of  religion,  in  any  the  least  particular,  unfavorable 
to  our  well-being  ?  Can  you  persuade  yourself, 
that  He  who  spared  not  his  own  Son,  but  deliver- 
ed him  up  for  us  all,  will  not  with  him,  also  free- 
ly give  us  all  things  ? 

Whence  then,  these  most  unwarrantable  sus- 
picions about  the  proper  effects  of  religion? 
"Whence  these  injurious  prejudices  against  it,  as 
being  adverse  to  rational  and  elevated  happiness  ? 
K,  as  you  admit,  it  bears  God's  image  and  super- 
scription, how  can  you  think  of  it,  as  a  sour  and 
ascetic  scheme ;  or,  suppose  it  would  require  of 
you  any  sacrifice  which  is  not  demanded  by  your 
own  good  ?  K  you  will  but  reason  a  little  on  the 
subject,  you  will  find  ample  cause  to  distrust  your 
impressions  as  to  its  nature,  as  you  will  certainly 
see  both  the  injustice  and  the  impolicy,  of  being 
deterred  by  such  a  prejudice,  from  a  careftil  con- 
sideration of  its  claims.     N"ay,  if  you  are  disposed 


32  THE    GREAT    QUESTION. 

to  deal  honestly  with,  yourself,  you  will  find 
material  for  sober  reflection,  in  tlie  very  fact  tliat 
religion  should  wear  this  forbidding  guise ;  that 
adapted  and  intended,  as  your  reason  no  less  than 
revelation  assures  you  it  must  be,  to  comfort  and 
bless  you,  it  should  suggest  to  your  minds,  only 
images  of  sadness  or  terror.  How  unavoidable 
the  presumption,  that  you  must  be  laboring  under 
some  gross  hallucination ;  that  some  violent  dis- 
ease has  impaired  and  confounded  your  faculties ; 
that  the  defects  you  attribute  to  religion,  are  in 
your  own  characters ;  and  that  your  repugnance 
to  it,  is  a  startling  proof,  how  much  you  stand  in 
need  of  its  healing  power. 

This  neglect  of  it,  however,  is  to  be  but  tem- 
porary. You  find  a  shelter  from  the  reproaches 
of  the  Bible,  and  of  your  own  conscience,  in  the 
reflection  that  by  and  by,  the  subject  shall  be  con- 
sidered ;  that  you  will  take  it  up,  and  make 
amends,  by  a  thorough  examination,  for  your 
present  indifference  to  it.  But  why  should  you 
do  this  ?    Why  not  dismiss  the  subject  altogether? 


IMBECILE    REASONING.  33 

If  it  is  SO  unwelcome  to  you,  wliy  let  it  project  its 
dark  shadows  athwart  your  future  path,  and 
ohscure  the  serenity  of  your  declining  years? 
You  are  ready  with  your  answer : — "  It  would  be 
madness  to  banish  finally,  a  subject  which  in- 
volves my  well-being  for  eternity.  I  must  attend 
to  it  sooner  or  later,  or  be  lost  forever." 

"Will  you  do  yourself  the  justice,  to  weigh  the 
import  of  this  answer  ?  You  "  must  consider  the 
subject  of  religion  hereafter,  because  it  involves 
your  well-being  for  eternity."  Give  me  leave  to 
put  this  in  another  form,  without  altering  the 
sense.  "  On  my  reception  or  rejection  of  the  gos- 
pel offer,  is  suspended  my  everlasting  destiny. 
K  through  the  mercy  and  grace  of  God,  I  embrace 
it,  I  shall  at  my  death,  ascend  to  heaven,  and  be 
perfectly  holy  and  happy  for  ever.  If  I  refuse  or 
neglect  to  embrace  it,  I  must  at  death,  be  cast 
into  outer  darkness.  Hell  will  be  my  home ;  the 
devils  and  lost  spirits  my  companions ;  I  must  lie 
down  in  the  unquenchable  fire,  and  endure  the 
gnawings   of  the  worm   that   never   dies.     This 


6%  THE    GREAT    QUESTION. 

doom  may  overtake  me  at  any  moment,  since 
nothing  is  more  precarious  tlian  life.  Therefore, 
in  order  to  escape  so  horrible  a  destiny,  I  must 
hereafter,  at  some  undefined  period,  when  my 
antipathy  to  religion  shall  have  vanished,  give 
attention  to  the  subject,  and  make  preparation 
for  a  change  of  worlds  !"  Such  is  the  import  of 
your  language,  without  the  slightest  coloring. 
And  in  what  light  does  it  present  your  inconsid- 
eration  ?  Did  you  ever  hear  of  so  impotent  a  con- 
clusion, from  such  majestic  premises  ?  Were 
logic  and  reason  ever  before  so  put  to  shame  ? 
"Were  eternal  things  ever  treated  with  such  grave 
trifling  ?  You  will  consider  of  religion  hereafter, 
because,  if  you  die  (which  you  may  do  to  day,) 
without  having  attended  to  it,  you  are  lost  beyond 
redemption !  And  in  this  purpose  you  rest, 
simply  from  "the  want  of  a  disposition"  to  apply 
your  mind  to  the  subject  now.  You  "  feel  no  in- 
terest" in  the  matter  at  present,  and  you  must  wait 
until  you  do ;  when  that  auspicious  day  arrives, 
that  you  are  disposed  to  hear  what  God  has  to 
say  to  you,  you  will  listen  to  his  communications  ! 


ALIENATION    FROM    GOD.  35 

Reference  has  already  been  made  to  the  indig- 
nity, which  this  conduct  casts  upon  the  Supreme 
Being.  Not  to  revert  to  that  topic  here,  do  you 
not  perceive  in  the  state  of  feeling  in  question,  a 
most  cogent  argument  why  you  should  bring  your 
mind  into  instant  and  earnest  contact  with  the 
Gospel?  The  greater  your  aversion  to  this,  the 
more  palpable  your  need  of  it.  This  aversion  is 
the  vital  principle  of  the  malady  you  are  seized 
with,  and  for  which  the  Gospel  is  the  only  anti- 
dote. It  stands  forth,  a  convincing  and  solemn 
memento  of  that  violent  disjunction  between  your 
soul  and  God,  which  can  be  removed,  only 
through  your  sincere  repentance  and  faith  in  the 
Redeemer.  And  when  you  talk  of  waiting,  until 
you  feel  sufficient  "  interest"  in  the  matter  to  give 
heed  to  it,  can  you  suppose  that  the  course  you 
are  pursuing,  is  adapted  to  bring  about  this  de- 
sired change  in  your  feelings  ?  Will  your  love  of 
the  world  be  diminished,  by  a  continued  devotion 
to  the  world  ?  Will  the  power  of  sin  over  you,  be 
abated  by  indulgence  in  sin  ?  Will  your  wayward 
passions  and  attachments  be  weakened  by  gratifi- 


36  THE    GREAT    QUESTION. 

cation?  "Are  you  so  thoughtless  or  unknowing, 
as  to  fancy  that  a  long  course  of  estrangement 
from  your  higher  interest,  of  aversion  to  it,  of 
resistance  against  its  claims,  of  suppression  of  the 
remonstrances  of  conscience  in  its  behalf,  is  to 
leave  you  in  a  kind  of  mental  state,  impartial  to 
admit  at  length,  the  conviction,  that  now  it  is 
high  time,  and  easily  convertible  into  a  Christian 
spirit  ?  Consider  that  all  this  time,  you  are  form- 
ing the  habits,  which,  when  inveterately  establish- 
ed, will  either  be  invincibly  upon  you  through 
life,  or  require  a  mighty  wrench  to  emancipate 
you.  This  refusal  to  think,  this  revolting  from 
any  attempt  at  self-examination,  this  averting  of 
your  attention  from  serious  books,  this  declining 
to  seek  the  Divine  favor  and  assistance  by  prayer, 
this  projecting  of  schemes  bearing  no  regard  to 
that  favor,  and  which  are  not  to  need  that  assist- 
ance ;  this  eagerness  to  seize  each  transitory  pleas- 
ure, this  preference  of  companions,  who  perhaps, 
would  like  you  the  worse,  if  they  thought  you 
feared  God,  or  cared  for  your  eternal  welfare ; — 
these  dispositions,  prolonged  in  a  succession  of 


TYRANNY    OF    HABIT.  37 

your  willing  acquiescences  in  them,  will  grow 
into  a  settled  constitution  of  your  soul,  which  will 
thus  become,  its  own  inexorable  tyrant.  The 
habit  so  forming,  will  draw  into  it,  all  the  affec- 
tions, the  workings  of  imagination,  and  the  trains 
of  thought ;  will  so  possess  itself  of  them,  that  in 
it  alone,  they  will  live,  and  move,  and  have  their 
being.  It  will  have  a  strong,  unremitting  propen- 
sity to  grow  entire,  so  as  to  leave  nothing  unpre- 
occupied  in  the  mind,  for  any  opposing  agent  to 
take  hold  on,  in  order  to  counteract  it,  as  if  it 
were  instinctively  apprehensive  of  the  effect  of 
protests  from  conscience,  or  visitings  from  the 
powers  of  heaven,  or  intimations  from  the  realm 
of  death;  and  therefore,  intent  on  forming  the 
sentiments  of  the  soul,  to  such  a  consistence  and 
coalition,  as  shall  leave  none  of  them  free  to  de- 
sert at  the  voice  of  these  summoners."* 

It  is,  indeed,  a  monstrous  deception  you  prac- 
tice upon  yourself,  when  you  fancy  that  a  course 

*  Foster. 


S8  THE    GREAT    QUESTION. 

of  implicit  submission  to  tliese  eartli-born  pro- 
pensities, will  ultimately  generate  a  disposition 
to  break  away  from  the  bondage  tbey  impose. 
As  well  might  tbe  inebriate  pretend  that  prolong- 
ed indulgence  in  his  cups,  would  by  and  by  evolve 
a  disgust  for  tlie  poison  which  is  consuming  him ; 
or  the  husbandman,  that  a  thorough  seeding  of 
his  plantation  with  thistles,  would  guarantee  a 
generous  harvest  of  grain.  It  a  strange  way  of 
insuring  the  renovation  of  your  character,  to  foster 
principles  and  habits  which  are  in  flagrant  an- 
tagonism to  all  holiness.  These  veiy  habits  and 
principles  constitute  the  grand  hinderance  to  your 
salvation  now;  they  operate  with  such  potency  as 
even  to  inspire  an  antipathy  to  all  reflection  on  your 
spiritual  state.  By  what  alchemy  are  they  to  be 
transmuted  into  monitors  to  repentance  and 
stimulants  to  a  holy  life?  How  is  an  ever-in- 
creasing alienation  from  God  to  facilitate  youi 
return  to  him?  If  you  have  no  inclination  to 
return  now,  why  should  you  have  when  the  dis- 
tance which  separates  you  from  him  has  been  in- 
definitely increased  ? 


OBSERVATION.  39 

The  conclusions  to  wliicli  so  many  lines  of 
abstract  argument  conduct  us,  may  be  tested  by 
observation  and  experience.  You  will  be  able, 
without  going  beyond  the  sphere  of  your  daily 
walks,  to  find  individuals  who  have  long  occupied 
the  ground  you  stand  upon.  Twenty,  thirty, 
forty  years  ago,  when  pressed  with  the  obligation 
of  immediate  repentance,  they  resisted  and  de- 
ferred it  on  the  ground  that  they  then  "  felt  no 
disposition"  to  consider  it.  They  had  the  full 
purpose  of  complying  with  it,  but  deemed  it 
advisable  to  wait  until  their  indifference  had 
passed  away.  Has  it  passed  away  or  are  they 
waiting  still  ?  To  your  eyes,  however  it  may  be 
to  their  own,  the  case  is  too  plain  and  too  affect- 
ing to  need  an  interpreter.  You  see  how,  during 
all  this  period,  they  have  been  heaping  up  obsta- 
cles between  themselves  and  heaven.  By  a  silent 
and  gradual  process  they  have  invigorated  their 
secular  principles  and  become  more  completely 
saturated  with  the  spirit  of  the  world.  The 
net-work  of  earthly  passions  and  projects  which 
encloses  them,  once  so  fragile,  is  intricate  and 


40  THE    GREAT    QUESTION. 

compact.  Avenues  to  their  consciences,  whicli 
were  once  open,  are  sliut  up.  They  are  less  sen- 
sitive to  the  appeals  of  Scripture.  It  is  more  dif- 
ficult to  arouse  them  to  wholesome  meditation 
upon  their  prospects  for  eternity.  They  have  the 
same  latent  intention  of  repentance ;  but  when 
you  look  at  the  superincumbent  mass  of  earthli- 
ness  and  sin  which  has  accumulated  upon  it,  you 
feel  that  nothing  short  of  a  miracle  can  ever 
vitalize  it,  so  as  to  convert  the  purpose  to  repent 
into  actual  repentance. 

All  this  is  as  clear  as  the  meridian  sun  to  your 
eyes,  in  respect  to  many  persons  M^hom  you  have 
seen  growing  old  or  approximating  to  old  age,  in 
the  neglect  of  religion.  And  is  there  not  some- 
thing still  nearer  home  to  corroborate  it  ?  Can 
you  not  refer  to  a  period  in  your  own  experience, 
when  the  ascendency  of  the  world  over  you  was 
less  complete  than  it  is  now  ?  Has  the  result  jus- 
tified your  calculation,  that  the  lapse  of  time 
would  abate  your  disinclination  to  serious  thought? 
Is  your  repugnance  to  prayer  and  to  the  study  of 


EXPERIENCE.  41 

the  Scriptures  diminisliecl  ?  Do  you  find  it  more 
difficult  to  ward  off  the  shafts  of  divine  truth,  as 
they  reach  you  in  the  sanctuary  ?  Have  you  a 
keener  sense  of  the  vanity  of  earth,  and  a  growing 
disposition  to  engage  in  th.e  service  of  God  ?  Or 
is  the  reverse  of  all  this  true  ?  Is  the  tide  of 
worldliness  rising  higher  and  higher,  and  gradu- 
ally filling  up  every  interstice  of  your  heart  ? 
Has  the  broad  current  of  your  thoughts  and  affec- 
tions become  thoroughly  impregnated  with  a  mere 
earthly  spirit?  Are  you  living  for  this  world 
alone?  Are  your  avocations,  your  plans,  your 
pleasures,  your  hopes,  your  associations,  absorbed 
with  the  things  which  are  seen  and  temporal, 
to  the  exclusion  of  the  things  which  are  un- 
seen and  eternal?  And  when,  in  some  better 
moment,  a  stroke  of  Providence,  a  sermon  or 
some  other  agency  happens  to  disturb  your  spirit- 
ual torpor  and  awaken  a  feeling  of  remorse  and 
uneasiness,  do  you  find  it  a  lighter  task  than  it 
once  was  to  smother  these  self-reproaches  and  re- 
sume your  wonted  levity  ?  Surely  then,  you  can 
interpret  these  omens  also.     You  require  no  pro- 

5* 


42  THE    GREAT    QUESTION. 

pHet  from  heaven  to  assure  you  that  tliey  bear  the 
same  evil  significancy,  with  the  kindred  portents 
you  so  readily  decipher  in  the  case  of  your  friends 
and  neighbors.  They  are  the  hand-writing  on 
the  wall  over  against  you ;  and  they  admonish 
you,  in  no  ambiguous  symbols,  of  impending  de- 
struction, if  you  go  on  trusting  to  a  life  of  world- 
liness  to  extinguish  your  repugnance  to  the 
Gospel. 

There  is  also  implied  in  this  inconsideration,  a 
very  inadequate  conception  of  the  work  we  have 
to  do  and  of  the  time  demanded  to  do  it  properly. 
"We  find  in  the  Bible  expressions  like  these : 
"  Strive  to  enter  in  at  the  strait  gate."  "  Gi-\dng 
all  diligence,  make  your  calling  and  election 
sure."  "He  that  endureth  to  the  end  shall  be 
saved."  "If  the  righteous  scarcely  be  saved, 
where  shall  the  ungodly  and  the  sinner  appear?" 
Salvation,  then,  is  a  difficult  work.  It  is  a  great 
thing  to  be  a  Christian.  Colossal  obstructions  bar 
the  way  to  heaven.     Every  step  has  its  dangers. 

"  'Tis  but  a  few  that  find  the  gate, 
While  crowds  mistake  and  die." 


THE    GEEAT    CONFLICT.  43 

Could  we  see  things  as  they  are,  the  deliverance 
of  a  soul  from  spiritual  death,  its  liberation  from 
the  bondage  of  Satan,  its  enfranchisement  with 
the  rights  and  privileges  of  Christ's  kingdom,  its 
gradual  transformation  into  the  divine  image,  its 
triumph  over  all  its  enemies,  and  its  final  entrance 
into  the  realms  of  glory,  we  should  be  no  less 
awe-struck  with  the  difficulty  and  grandeur  of 
this  achievement,  than  filled  with  admiration  at 
the  boundless  wisdom,  power  and  grace  displayed 
in  accomplishing  it.  Marathon  and  Thermopylae, 
Trafalgar  and  "Waterloo,  the  proudest  of  earth's 
battle-fields,  wheresoever  they  may  be  found, 
dwindle  into  insignificance  when  compared  with 
the  mighty  conflict  involved  in  the  salvation  of  a 
single  individual.  Yet  this  sublime  and  most 
arduous  undertaking,  you  would  thrust  into  a 
mere  corner  of  human  life.  Instead  of  making 
every  thing  give  way  to  it,  you  allow  every  thing 
to  take  precedence  of  it.  You  make  it  wait  on 
business,  on  study,  on  pleasure,  on  social  engage- 
ments, on  indolence,  on  indifierence.  There  is 
absolutely  nothing  in  life,  however  insignificant 


44  THE    GREAT    QUESTION. 

and  contemptible,  that  this  vast  interest,  which 
comprehends  eternity  in  its  issues,  is  not,  with  one 
person  or  another,  compelled  to  wait  on  it.     Life 
were  short  enough  to  do  it  justice,  had  you  taken  it 
up  with  the  dawn  of  your  m.oral  agency  and  prose- 
cuted it  until  you  fell  asleep  in  death.     But  it  has 
been  pushed  along,  year  after  year,  the  difficulty  of 
the  work  increasing  as  the  space  for  performing  it 
has  been  diminished,  until  to-day  you  have  more 
worTc  to  do  and  less  time  to  do  it  in,  than  you  ever  had 
hefore.  Nay,  you  are  possibly  even  now  parleying 
with  yourself  whether  you  shall  not  postpone  its 
claims  still  longer.  Does  it  at  all  occur  to  you  what 
these  questions  are,  which  you  adjourn  with  so 
fatal  a  facility  to  all  the  trivialities  of  the  passing 
moment,  which  you  even  dismiss  because  you  hap- 
pen not  to  be  in  a  mood  to  consider  them  ?   Alas, 
it  is  this  very  inconsideration  which  betrays  you 
into  the  infatuated  course  we  are  deploring.    It  is 
not  that  you  do  not  know,  but  because  you  do 
not  consider  that  it  is  your  own  salvation  which 
is   at  stake.     It  is   the   question,    "How  may  I 
escape  from  hell  and  fly  to  heaven  ?"  that  you  are 


A    SAD    INVERSION.  45 

forcing  into  some  little  parenthesis  of  your  little 
future — handing    it    over,   peradventure,   to   the 
puerilities  of  a  miserable  dotage,  or  to  the  weak- 
ness, the  sufierings  and  the  dismay  of  an  unex- 
pected death-bed.    And  wherefore  ?    Is  there  any 
invincible  necessity  laid  upon  you  to  submit  to 
this    strange   mal-adjustment   of  your   concerns, 
this  transfer  of  the  very  greatest  and  most  momen- 
tous of  your  affairs,  to  the  very  worst  season  in 
your  whole  life  for  attending  to  them  ?     'So,  you 
might  just  as  well — yea,  ten  thousand  times  bet- 
ter— provide  for  these  interests  sooner.     But  you 
must  needs  use  the  vigor  of  your  faculties  and  the 
flower  of  your  time  for  other  ends.     This  world  is 
to  be  looked  after.    First  the  body,  then  the  soul. 
Time  first,  eternity  afterwards.     Thus  the  soul  is 
robbed  and  ruined.     What  ought  to  be  the  prime 
business  of  life  is  delayed  till  the  spark  of  life  is 
about  going  out.     What  ought  to  engross  all  the 
powers  of  mind  and  body  throughout  the  entire 
limit  of  our  mortal  probation,  is  assigned  to  the 
hapless  decrepitude  of  old  age.  With  the  ocean  of 
eternity  before  you,  instead  of  employing  the  time 


46  THE    GREAT    QUESTION. 

God  has  given  you  in  making  preparation  for 
your  endless  voyage,  you  waste  it  upon  compara- 
tive trifles,  and  leave  your  wliole  preparation  to 
the  moment  when  you  may  be  summoned  to  em- 
bark !  This  is  not  the  design,  but  this  is  in  every 
instance  of  delay  the  possible,  as  it  is  in  innumer- 
able instances  the  actual,  result.  To  neglect  to 
prepare  to-day,  abridges  by  so  much  your  time 
and  opportunity  for  preparing,  and  may  preclude 
it  altogether. 

You  will  not  admit  this.  You  have  no  thought 
of  going  into  eternity  unprepared.  You  almost 
resent  the  suggestion  that  you  may  be  so  infatu- 
ated as  to  reserve  for  it  only  the  closing  days  or 
hours  of  life.  But  if  this  is  not  your  puqDOse, 
what  is  ?  If  you  are  resolved  not  to  remit  the 
serious  consideration  of  religion  to  a  death-bed, 
when  is  it  to  be  taken  up  ?  Is  the  day  marked  in 
your  diary  ?  Is  the  purpose  drawn  up  and  put  on 
file  with  the  plans  you  have  framed  respecting 
your  worldly  affairs  ?  If  you  were  pressed  to 
answer  these  questions,  would  not  the  humiliating 


PROSPECTIVE    REPENTANCE.  47 

confession  be  extorted  from  you,  tliat  this  is  a 
matter  about  which  you  have  no  plan ;  that  while 
every  possible  arrangement  is  made  concerning 
your  earthly  interests,  you  have  fixed  upon  no 
period  for  looking  after  your  immortal  interests ; 
that  you  have,  in  fact,  simply  a  general  purpose 
of  making  your  peace  with  God,  but  whether  it  is 
to  be  undertaken  on  this  day  twelve-month,  or 
this  day  ten  years,  or  at  any  other  specific  date,  is 
a  point  you  have  not  settled. 

ISTow,  on  this  admission,  it  is  no  injustice  to  you 
to  allege  that  you  are  virtually  remitting  this  great 
interest  to  your  death-bed.  A  merciful  God  may 
interpose  and  prevent  this  procrastination,  but  in  so 
far  as  you  are  concerned,  there  is  every  probability 
that  it  will  be  delayed  until  the  prospect  of  a  speedy 
dissolution  forces  it  upon  your  attention.  There 
are  thousands  of  individuals  every  year  who  are 
brought  to  this  result  by<»the  identical  process 
through  which  you  are  passing.  Relying  through 
life  on  a  vague  and  delusive  purpose  of  embracing 
the  Gospel  offer  "at  some  period,"  they  are  aston- 


48  THE    GREAT    QUESTION. 

islied  at  length  (they  need  not  have  been,  for  it 
was  precisely  what  they  might  have  expected)  to 
find  themselves  grappling  with  death  without  any 
equipment  for  the  encounter.  Often  are  individ- 
uals of  this  kind  heard  bemoaning  their  folly  and 
criminality,  waking  up  to  the  consciousness  that 
it  is  a  sad  time  to  prepare  for  eternity,  when  the 
blood  is  chilling  in  the  arteries,  and  the  afii'ighted 
soul  is  waiting,  trembling  and  agonized,  for  the 
walls  of  its  clay  tenement  to  fall  and  leave  it 
houseless,  portionless,  hopeless  under  the  piercing 
gaze  of  an  injured  and  avenging  God !  And  why 
miay  it  not  be  so  with  you  ?  You  are  treading 
the  same  path  they  trod.  You  are  trusting  to  the 
same  visionary  hopes.  You  are  vindicating  or 
excusing  your  inconsideration  by  the  same  gossa- 
mer-like apologies.  Like  you,  they  "  felt  no 
interest"  in  religion,  and  had  too  httle  energy  to 
bring  themselves  to  the  examination  of  it.  Like 
you,  they  were  resolved  to  attend  to  it  long  before 
death  should  summon  them  away.  Like  you, 
they  permitted  one  earthly  object  and  pursuit 
after  another  to  beguile  their  time  and  steal  away 


THE    HEART    HARDENED.  49 

tlieir  affections.  Like  you,  tliey  grew  insensibly 
hardened  by  tbis  course  of  worldliness  and  tbis 
babitual  resistance  to  divine  trutb.  And  will  it 
be  surprising,  if,  having  thus  cast  in  your  lot  with 
them  through  so  large  a  part  of  the  way  you 
should  go  on  with  them  to  the  close,  and  have 
your  dying  moments  harassed  with  the  gloom 
and  the  consternation  which  marked  their  passage 
into  eternity? 

But  why  argue  this  point.  Everything  is  con- 
ceded, when  you  admit,  what  no  one  has  the  pre- 
sumption to  deny,  that  death  may  come  for  you 
at  any  moment;  that  your  winding  sheet  may 
even  now  be  in  the  fuller's  hands,  and  the  shaft 
on  its  unerring  flight,  which  is  to  transfix  your 
heart.  This  fact  alone,  might  sufB.ce  to  show  you 
that  in  neglecting  to  consider  the  claims  of  re- 
ligion, you  are  putting  your  everlasting  all  in 
jeopardy ;  that  a  single  day's  delay,  may  involve 
an  eternity  of  unavailing  remorse  and  sorrow. 

Here  then  let  me  pause,  long  enough  to  inquire 
6 


50  THE    GREAT    QUESTION. 

whetlier  it  is  possible  for  jou,  even  to  extenuate 
tile  guilt  and  folly  of  tliis  inconsideration,  by  any 
of  those  pleas  or  pretexts,  which  have  hitherto 
satisfied  you.  Remember  that  when  God  charges 
this  neglect  upon  you  as  a  sin,  it  is  your  own 
happiness,  no  less  than  his  sovereignty,  which  is 
implicated  in  the  allegation.  The  crime  you  are 
guilty  of,  is  a  crime  against  your  own  rational  and 
immortal  nature.  You  ought  to  be  happy.  You 
might  be  happy.  God  requires  you  to  be  happy ; 
and  has  placed  the  means  within  your  reach,  at 
an  infinite  cost  to  himself,  though  as  free  as  the 
air  of  heaven  to  you.  Yet  you  decline  his  bounty. 
You  even  refuse  to  "  consider"  the  sublime  and 
glorious  scheme,  through  which  he  proposes  it  to 
you.  And  the  barrier,  behind  which  you  shelter 
yourself,  when  this  conduct  is  brought  home  to 
you  as  a  sin,  is,  that  "  your  feelings  are  not  in- 
terested in  the  matter,"  and  therefore  you  cannot 
attend  to  it.  Why  should  they  be  interested,  un- 
less you  have  tried  to  have  them  so  ?  Suppose 
you  deal  with  this  subject,  as  you  would  deal 
with  a   question  of  commerce,  or  a  question  of 


IN    EARNEST.  51 

history,  with  a  branch  of  science,  or  a  personal 
accomphshment.  Bring  your  mind  to  the  patient 
study  of  the  Bible.  Commune  with  your  own 
heart.  Call  upon  God  in  prayer.  E,ouse  your- 
self from  your  lethargy.  Feel  that  religion  is 
a  reality;  and  that  your  soul  is  to  be  saved 
through  the  blood  of  the  cross,  or  to  perish  eter- 
nally. Do  this,  and  see  whether  you  cannot  sur- 
mount this  fearful  torpor  which  threatens  to  de- 
stroy you  forever. 


.^uJion  III. 

THE  PRETEXTS  POR  NEGLECTING  RELIGION 
IRRATIONAL  AND  SORDID. 

I  have  sliown,  that  where  there  is  an  habitual 
indisposition  to  consider  the  claims  of  religion, 
that  duty  is  likely  to  be  remitted  to  a  death-bed. 
It  is  proper  in  this  connection,  to  call  your  atten- 
tion to  the  specific  feeling,  which  usually  prompts 
to  this  delay.  That  feeling  is,  that  there  is  no 
actual  necessity  on  the  score  of  personal  safety,  for 
becoming  religious  just  now,  and  therefore,  it  may 
be  postponed  for  the  present  without  hazard.  If 
this  course  involved  manifest  and  palpable  dan- 
ger, you  would  overcome  your  reluctance,  and  sit 
down  to  the  careful  examination  of  the  subject. 
But  as  you  see  no  danger,  a  little  delay,  cannot  be 
an  evil  of  much  moment. 

Here  then,  the  whole  question  whether  religion 
shall  receive  your  instant  attention,  is  made  to 
6* 


54  THE    GREAT    QUESTION. 

Mnge  on  tlie  point,  whetlier  it  will  put  you  in 
jeopardy  to  refuse.  The  demand  which  religion 
makes  of  you,  is,  that  you  cease  to  do  evil,  and 
learn  to  do  well ;  that  you  repent  of  your  sins,  and 
render  to  your  Creator  and  Preserver,  that  hom- 
age and  obedience  which  are  his  due ;  that  you 
trust  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  for  pardon,  and 
walk  hence-forward  in  the  way  of  his  commands. 
It  exacts  of  you  no  sacrifice  ;  lays  upon  you  no 
service ;  appoints  you  to  no  trial,  which  is  not  for 
your  own  good.  It  proffers  you  the  protection 
and  friendship  of  God,  all  needful  succors  and 
consolations  in  this  world,  and  everlasting  felicity 
and  glory  hereafter.  These  are  the  proposals  re- 
ligion makes  to  you ;  and  it  is  in  pondering  such 
proposals,  and  to  guide  you  in  your  disposition 
of  them,  that  you  raise  the  question,  "  Can  I  re- 
ject them  for  a  time,  without  putting  myself  in 
peril?  or,  does  my  safety  require  me  to  accept 
them  now  ?"  You  cannot  fail,  on  a  moment's  re- 
flection, to  be  struck  with  the  utter  want  here  in- 
dicated, of  any  due  appreciation  of  the  blessings 
tendered  you,  or  any  perception  of  the  relations 


MERCENARY    CALCULATIONS.  55 

subsisting  between  tbe  parties  to  this  transaction. 
It  might  be  supposed,  with  our  instinctive  and 
irrepressible  desire  of  happiness,  that  blessings 
like  these,  would  be  eagerly  seized  the  moment 
they' were  placed  within  our  reach ;  that  the  mere 
possibility  of  securing  them,  would  make  any  in- 
dividual of  our  race,  willing  to  put  forth  the  most 
unwearied  exertions,  and  to  submit  to  the  greatest 
hardships.  But  instead  of  this,  we  have  the  ex- 
traordinaiy  spectacle  presented  to  us,  (nay,  we  all 
in  turn  present  this  spectacle,)  of  rebels  consulting 
whether  they  can  with  prudence,  defer  acceding  to 
an  offer  of  clemency  from  their  Sovereign ;  of  lost 
sinners,  calculating  how  long  it  will  be  safe  for 
them  to  go  on  in  sin,  before  consenting  to  a  free 
tender  of  salvation !  In  all  this  procrastination 
and  paltering,  the  authority  and  rights  of  Jehovah, 
are  ignored ;  duty  is  set  at  defiance ;  the  claims  of 
reverence  and  gratitude  are  trampled  in  the  dust ; 
nothing  is  thought  of,  but  the  personal  immunity 
of  the  transgressor.  As  long  as  he  can  do  without 
G-od,  he  will ;  when  dangers  thicken,  and  death 
impends,  he  will  seek  his  aid. 


56  THE    GREAT    QUESTION. 

To  say  that  the  principle  of  action  here  assumed, 
would  excite  universal  abhorrence,  if  carried  into 
any  department  of  secular  or  social  life,  is  only  to 
give  utterance  to  a  sentiment,  in  which  every 
generous  mind  must  acquiesce.  What  reason  is 
there,  what  fitness,  in  suspending  our  loyalty  to 
God  on  his  toleration  of  our  sins  ;  in  resolving  to 
disobey  him,  just  so  long  as  we  fancy  he  will  re- 
strain his  vengeance,  and  not  cut  us  down  in  our 
impiety  ?  No  honorable  man  would  deal  thus  with 
his  neighbor,  or  with  the  government  under  which 
he  lives.  Does  it  sanctify  a  sordid  principle  that  we 
have  adopted  it,  not  in  our  intercourse  with  our  fel- 
low-creatures, but  in  our  conduct  towards  God  ? 
Are  the  same  actions  mercenary,  when  they  have 
respect  to  a  creature ;  and  innocent,  not  to  say  com- 
mendable, when  they  terminate  on  the  Creator  ? 

The  more  this  is  pondered,  the  more  clearly 
will  it  be  seen,  that  in  the  scheme  of  Ufe  we  are 
considering,  the  one  element  of  personal  safety,  is 
made  to  subsei-ve  the  most  unwarrantable  and  un- 
worthy purposes. 


DIVINE    MUNIFICENCE.  57 

It  might  be  opportune  to  remark,  that  it  is  no 
less  blind  than  perverse  ;  that  in  seeking  its  own 
ends  by  its  own  means,  it  too  commonly  plucks 
down  upon  itself,  the  ruin  it  would  elude ;  and 
that  true  safety  is  to  be  found  in  doing  God's 
will,  not  in  resisting  it.  But  waiving  that  topic, 
why  surrender  one's  self  to  the  control  of  this 
groveling  sentiment,  as  though  in  our  relations 
to  the  Deity,  there  were  no  room  for  any  other  ? 
"Not  knowing,"  says  the  apostle,  "that  the  good- 
ness of  God  leadeth  thee  to  repentance." 

Look  around  you  at  the  tokens  of  His  good- 
ness. See  how  he  has  blessed  you  in  your  basket 
and  in  your  store,  in  your  health,  in  your  business, 
in  your  family,  in  your  country,  in  your  manifold 
religious  privileges.  Review  your  life,  and  see 
how  he  has  watched  over  you  from  childhood  to 
this  hour,  with  paternal  affection ;  how  often  he 
has  interposed  to  rescue  you  from  difficulty  or 
danger;  and  in  how  many  forms  he- has  carried 
forward  his  beneficent  ministrations  towards  you. 
Is  there  no  susceptibility  in  your  breast,  to  which 


58  THE    GREAT    QUESTION. 

kindness  like  this  appeals ;  no  chord  there  which 
vibrates  when  these  mercies  pass  in  review  before 
yon  ?  And  when  to  these  blessings,  you  superadd 
the  infinitely  higher  blessings  of  redemption,  pur- 
chased with  "blood  divine,"  are  you  still  un- 
moved? Can  nothing  stir  that  leaden  torpor, 
that  Dead  Sea  stagnation,  within,  but  the  sense 
of  impending  wrath?  Has  gratitude  no  place 
there?  Shall  your  bosom  thrill  with  thankful- 
ness, whenever  you  receive  the  most  trivial  kind- 
ness from  a  fellow-creature,  and  be  unimpressed 
by  all  the  aflOluence  of  that  bounty  which  Jehovah 
is  lavishing  upon  you?  You  will  not  say  that 
this  is  right. 

You  will  admit  that  it  is  all  wrong.  K  you 
have  the  least  spark  of  magnanimity,  the  slightest 
leaven  of  honorable  and  manly  feeling,  you  will 
be  abashed  when  you  reflect  on  the  principle  which 
governs  you,  in  your  intercourse  with  a  Benefactor, 
to  whom  you  owe  such  infinite  obligations. 

In  recording,  some  time  since,  the  decease  of  a 


THE    DYING    STATESMAN.  59 

very  distinguislied  statesman,  the  newspapers 
stated,  that  he  was  much  occupied  during  his  ill- 
ness with  the  subject  of  religion ;  that  he  con- 
versed often  with  the  ministers  of  the  gospel; 
avowed  his  cordial  reception  of  the  Christian 
faith,  and  in  this  state  of  mind  passed  into  eter- 
nity. The  narrative  was  in  terms  which  implied 
that  his  preparation  for  death  had  been  postponed 
until  he  was  taken  sick ;  and,  indeed,  it  was  well 
known,  that  however  correct  he  might  have  been 
in  his  general  deportment,  he  had  never  up  to 
that  time,  manifested  any  personal  interest  in  re- 
ligion. In  all  this,  he  was  the  representative  of  a 
very  numerous  body  of  persons ;  for  similar  ex- 
amples are  constantly  occurring  in  every  walk  of 
life. 

Now  in  looking  at  a  scene  like  this,  every  one 
must  commend  this  solicitude  about  the  soul, 
even  though  it  has  been  so  long  delayed.  Far 
better  to  repent  with  the  dying  malefactor,  than 
not  to  repent  at  all.  Better  to  strive  to  enter  in 
at  the  strait  gate  at  the  eleventh  hour, — yes,  bet- 


60  THE    GREAT    QUESTION. 

ter  even  to  strive  and  fail,  than  to  die  in  utter 
unconcern  and  stupidity.  But  contemplate  this 
spectacle  in  another  aspect.  Here  is  a  man  (the 
case  occurs  daily,)  forty,  fifty,  possibly,  sixty  years 
of  age.  He  has  spent  his  life  in  the  bosom  of  a 
Christian  community.  Every  day  has  come  to 
Mm  freighted  with  blessings.  He  has  always  had 
the  Bible  within  his  reach.  He  has  weekly  heard, 
or  might  have  heard,  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel. 
God  has  called  him  to  repentance  in  innumerable 
ways.  His  duty  has  been  set  before  him  in  the 
clearest  manner.  He  has  been  reasoned  with, 
warned,  exhorted,  entreated,  to  make  his  peace 
with  God,  and  to  give  his  influence  to  religion. 
But  he  has  steadily  refused.  He  has,  possibly, 
been  unwilling  even  to  consider  the  claims  of  God 
upon  him.  Absorbed  with  other  things,  carried 
away  by  the  lust  of  the  flesh,  the  lust  of  the  eyes, 
and  the  pride  of  life,  he  has  sought  his  own  ends, 
lived  only  for  the  world,  and  left  Christianity  to 
fight  its  own  battles,  careless  whether  they  termi- 
nate in  victory  or  defeat.  Disease  lays  its  iron 
grasp  upon  this  proud  votary  of  the  world,  and 


ABASERETURN.  61 

conducts  liiin  into  tliat  chamber,  from  wliicli  lie 
is  never  to  come  forth,  until  his  remains  are 
carried  to  their  last  resting  place.  Assured  by 
his  physicians  (and  not  till  then,)  of  the  serious 
nature  of  his  malady,  he  begins  to  consider  his 
ways.  He  calls  for  the  Bible  ;  so  long  neglected 
that  he  knows  not  where  to  read.  He  procures 
other  religious  books,  which  may  aid  him  in  get- 
ting clearer  views  of  the  way  of  life.  He  sends 
for  a  Christian  friend  or  pastor  to  counsel  him, 
and  tell  him  what  he  must  do  to  be  saved.  He  is 
frequent  and  earnest  in  his  supplications  for  the 
Divine  mercy.  And  thus  he  is  hastening  his  pre- 
paration for  a  change  of  worlds.  In  all  this,  he  is 
acting  wisely.  But  what  a  miserable  return  is  he 
making  to  God !  His  health,  time,  talents,  prop- 
erty, influence,  all  have  been  expended  upon 
selfish  and  earthly  objects,  and  now  that  he  dare 
not  and  cannot  cleave  to  these  any  longer,  he  will 
turn  to  God !  N"o  love  to  God  prompts  him,  no 
gratitude,  no  ingenuous  sentiment  of  contrition, 
no  dissatisfaction  with  the  world  ;  if  he  could  with 
safety,  he  would  cling  to  his  idol  still.  Death  is 
7 


62  THE    GREAT    QUESTION. 

at  the  door  :  this  is  the  sole  secret  of  his  anxiety. 
He  comes  to  dedicate  to  his  Maker,  his  shattered 
powers,  and  the  few  hours  that  may  remain  to 
him,  simply,  because  if  he  neglects  this,  a  terrible 
retribution  will  presently  overtake  him. 

"You  see  as  distinctly  as  I  can,  the  true  tenor  of 
this  transaction.  But  "  it  is  not  to  be  thus  with 
you."  You  have  too  much  elevation  of  character 
to  think  of  putting  the  Deity  off,  with  so  paltry  an 
offering.  You  are  not  ready  to  consider  the  sub- 
ject of  religion  now,  but  you  fully  purpose  to  do 
it,  before  you  are  prostrated  with  a  mortal  disease. 

"Without  impugning  the  sincerity  of  this  inten- 
tion, it  may  be  allowed  me  to  ask,  whether  the 
principle  it  proceeds  upon,  is  essentially  better 
than  the  one  exemplified  in  the  case  just  consid- 
ered. It  is  the  prayer  of  Augustine  over  again  : 
"  Lord,  convert  me :  but  not  yet !"  It  recognizes 
the  obligation  to  serve  him,  but  practically  denies 
his  claim  to  your  whole  time,  and  your  entire  in- 
fluence.    It  assumes  that  your  first  duty  is  to  the 


THE    WORLD,    FIRST.  63 

world ;  and  that  it  will  be  enough,  if  you  devote 
yourself  to  God  after  you  shall,  for  an  indefinite 
period,  have  lived  for  the  world.  You  cannot  be 
ignorant,  that  where  this  ground  is  taken,  the 
common  result  is  substantially  the  same,  as  in  the 
example  already  noted  :  the  lion's  share  goes  to 
the  world,  the  meagre  remnant,  if  any,  to  God. 
It  is,  in  any  event,  a  deliberate  determination  to 
abridge  your  means  and  opportunities  of  doing 
His  will,  and  promoting  His  glory. 

Can  this  be  justified?  Can  it  be  extenuated? 
Is  life,  fleeting,  evanescent  life,  too  long  a  period 
to  be  employed  in  serving  the  Being,  who  be- 
stowed life  upon  you?  Would  your  undivided 
homage  be  too  opulent  a  return  for  the  favors 
you  have  received  from  him  ?  Is  it  the  ac- 
knowledgment which  your  own  reason  and  con- 
science assure  you  is  befitting  the  relations  you 
sustain  to  him,  to  exhaust  the  vigor  of  your 
faculties  in  the  prosecution  of  mere  earthly  ob- 
jects, and  appropriate  to  Him,  only  your  days  of 
decline   and  inactivity,   if   not   of    decrepitude? 


64  THE    GREAT    QUESTION. 

Conceding  ttat  you  may  live  to  old  age,  and  tliat 
death  will  then  await  your  plenary  preparation  for 
his  summons ;  how  much  more  honorable  would 
it  be  to  come  now,  and  lay  your  thrift  and  enter- 
prise, your  genial  affections  and  noble  aspirations, 
upon  His  altar,  than  to  put  Him  off  with  the 
impoverished  refuse  of  a  life  of  sin  and  folly. 

Besides,  how  erroneous  and  unworthy  a  concep- 
tion of  religion^  is  that  involved  in  this,  and  its 
affiliated  schemes  of  life.  In  a  company  of  mili- 
tary officers,  (one  of  whom  was  a  personal  friend 
of  the  writer's,)  the  question  one  day  came  up, 
whether  it  was  expedient  to  permit  clergymen  to 
visit  the  sick,  l^ot  to  recite  the  other  opinions, 
"my  notion,"  said  the  surgeon  of  the  0013)8,  "is, 
that  such  visits  are  proper  in  certain  circumstan- 
ces. When  the  physician  has  done  all  he  can  for 
a  man,  and  gives  him  up,  then  I  think,  it  is 
proper  to  send  for  the  clergyman."  You  will 
smile  at  the  ignorance  and  irrationality  displayed 
in  this  remark ;  but  it  is  not  very  much  aside  from 
the  popular  idea  of  religion.     K  you  will  analyze 


RELIGION    DISPARAGED.  65 

the  schemes  which  you  are  cherishing,  you  will 
probably  find  that  religion  is  contemplated  rather 
as  a  provision  for  death,  than  a  chart  of  life ; 
much  more  as.  a  bridge,  over  which  we  are  to  pass 
into  heaven,  than  as  a  highway,  along  which  we 
are  to  travel  through  this  world.  The  feeling  is, 
"I  cannot  die  without  religion,  but  I  can  live 
without  it."  And  so  you  think  it  very  well  for 
the  infirm,  and  the  aged,  and  invalids  of  every 
sort,  to  become  religious ;  but  there  is  no  reason 
why  the  hearty  and  vigorous,  who  are  engaged  in 
active  duties,  should  be  in  haste  about  it.  In 
other  words,  there  is  no  reason  why  you  should 
not  sacrifice  all  the  sound  and  the  fat  of  your 
flock  to  mammon,  and  put  God  ofiF,  with  the  lame 
and  the  blind  and  the  sick.  There  is  no  reason 
why  you  should  not  expend  the  energies  of  your 
being  upon  yourselves,  and  dedicate  your  wither- 
ed faculties  to  your  Creator. 

This  is  not  Christianity.    Religion,  it  is  true, 
is  rich  in  its  consolations,  and  supplies  our  only 

adequate  support  in  sickness  and  trouble.     But  it 

7* 


66  THE     GREAT    QUESTION. 

is  no  less  a  scheme  of  duty,  tlian  a  means  of  com- 
fort. It  was  not  merely,  nor  mainly,  to  provide 
comfort  for  his  people,  that  Christ  died ;  hut  to 
make  them  holy ;  not  simply  that  they  might  get 
to  heaven  themselves,  but  that  they  might  help 
others  in  getting  there  also.  He  challenges  our 
undivided  allegiance.  He  insists  upon  the  subju- 
gation of  all  our  powers  and  passions  to  his  will ; 
upon  the  thorough  extirpation  of  our  sinful  prin- 
ciples and  habits,  and  the  gradual  moulding  of 
our  whole  characters  into  His  image.  He  de- 
mands that  we  serve  Him  in  our  several  stations 
and  relations ;  that  we  be  governed  by  the  Scrip- 
ture code  of  morals ;  that  we  subordinate  every 
earthly  pursuit  to  his  glory,  and  the  welfare  of  his 
kingdom ;  and  that  in  our  respective  spheres,  we 
do  our  best  to  maintain  the  character  implied  in 
those  expressive  emblems,  "Ye  are  the  light  of  the 
world;"  "Ye  are  the  salt  of  the  earth."  Our  own 
good  requires  this.  The  present  life  is  the  vestibule 
to  eternity.  "We  are  here  to  be  trained  for  a  high- 
er stage  of  being.  It  is  a  great  achievement  to 
prepare  a  race  so  depraved,  for  so  lofty  a  destiny. 


RESPONSIBILITY    INEVITABLE.  67 

It  must  needs  be  (unless  God  should  choose  to 
work  a  miracle,)  a  tedious  and  painful  process  to 
fit  such  creatures  as  we  are,  for  citizenship  in  the 
J^Tew  Jerusalem.  It  is  a  process  which  may  well 
fill  up  the  brief  span  of  human  life,  and  which  it 
were  gross  infatuation,  to  postpone  to  any  other 
interest  whatever. 

Religion  comprehends  this  wise  and  needful 
tutelage.  It  exerts  its  prerogative  over  the  entire 
range  of  human  life,  from  the  cradle  to  the  grave ; 
from  the  most  subtle  purpose  that  lurks  in  the  in- 
nermost chambers  of  the  heart,  to  the  sublimest 
transactions  of  cabinets  and  empires.  It  is  impos- 
sible to  escape  from  its  authority,  even  for  a 
moment.  It  never  intermits  its  claims  upon  us. 
It  stoops  to  no  compromises  with  the  world.  It 
ceases  not  to  cry  in  our  ears,  "  Thou  shalt  love  the 
Lord  thy  God,  with  all  thy  heart,  and  thy  neigh- 
bor as  thyself." 

Could  it  do  less  ?  Would  it  be  a  religion  wor- 
thy of  God,  or  suited  to  man,  if  it  did  not  thus 


68  THE    GREAT    QUESTION. 

enjoin  upon  every  child  of  Adam,  supreme  and 
constant  loyalty  to  Jehovah  ?  On  what  ground, 
then,  would  you  delay  a  compliance  with  its  re- 
quisitions ?  If  it  is  reasonable  that  God  should 
require  your  whole  time,  if  your  own  good  also 
demands  it,  why  voluntarily  shorten  the  period 
you  can  devote  to  him,  and  lose  the  advantages 
to  he  derived  from  the  culture  of  the  Christian 
graces  ?  It  is  surely  an  ungenerous  temper  which 
would  put  you  upon  grasping  after  the  rewards  of 
Christ's  kingdom,  without  rendering  him  the  stip- 
ulated service  ;  which  would  make  you  eager  for 
the  crown,  but  unwilling  to  bear  the  cross.  Had 
he  dealt  with  us,  on  this  principle,  the  cross  had 
never  been  set  up,  and  we  had  all  gone  down  to 
irretrievable  and  eternal  ruin. 

And  why,  (to  glance  at  another  phase  of  the 
selfishness  on  which  we  are  commenting,)  why 
should  you  not  do  your  part  in  carrying  forward 
the  great  and  glorious  work  of  human  amehora- 
tion  ?  Look  over  the  world,  and  see  how  full  it 
is  of  sin,  and  suffering,  and  sorrow.     Open  your 


WHITE    TO    THE    HARVEST.  69 

eyes  upon  the  very  neigliborliood  in  whicli  you 
dwell,  and  see  whether  there  be  not  at  your  very 
door,  a  broad  field  for  the  exercise  of  Christian  phi- 
lanthropy. Survey  our  beloved  country,  and  watch 
the  torrents  of  infidelity  and  vice  that  are  deluging 
the  land.  "Whose  office  is  it  to  counterwork  these 
pestiferous  agencies?  "Who  is  to  explore  these 
habitations  of  penury  and  ignorance;  to  gather 
the  young  into  Sabbath-schools  and  day  schools  ; 
to  visit  the  prisoners ;  to  reclaim  the  intemperate ; 
to  circulate  the  Scriptures ;  to  promote  the  due 
observance  of  the  Sabbath ;  to  send  missionaries 
to  every  destitute  spot,  and  to  aid  the  Church  in 
sustaining  her  benevolent  institutions  ?  Is  there 
any  obligation  resting  upon  others  to  do  this, 
which  does  not  rest  on  you  ?  It  will  not  do  for 
any  of  us  to  ask,  "Am  I  my  brother's  keeper?" 
Linked  together  by  the  ties  of  a  common  human- 
ity, we  are  responsible  for  the  influence  we  exert 
upon  each  other's  characters  and  destiny.  'No 
man  may  lawfully  attempt  to  isolate  himself  from 
his  race  and  seek  only  his  own  interest.  God  will 
hold  us  accountable  for  the  good  we  might  have 


70  THE    GREAT    QUESTION. 

done,  and  liave  refused  or  neglected  to  do. 
Christianity  needs  your  help  in  carrying  forward 
her  schemes  of  relief.  There  are  forces  enough 
arrayed  against  her  without  your  opposition  or 
indifference.  Christ  demands  your  co-operation 
with  his  people,  in  making  his  atonement  known 
to  all  your  fellow-creatures,  and  placing  the 
means  of  grace  within  their  reach.  The  service 
to  which  he  calls  you  is  a  most  reasonable  service. 
His  right  to  demand  it  is  perfect.  It  is  more 
worthy  of  your  powers  than  any  thing  else  in 
which  you  can  engage.  Is  there  any,  even  plausi- 
ble, ground  on  which  you  can  refuse  your  aid  in 
promoting  the  temporal  happiness  and  the  eternal 
salvation  of  our  ruined  race  ?  "Would  it  be  gener- 
ous, even  if  you  could  do  it  without  sin  and  with- 
out imperiling  your  own  soul,  to  devolve  all  this 
work  upon  others ;  to  shut  your  ears  against  the 
voice  of  Christ  himself,  through  whom  you  hope 
yet  to  be  saved,  when  he  says  to  you,  "  Go  work 
for  me  in  doing  good  to  your  fellow-sinners,  and 
whatsoever  you  do  to  the  least  of  them  for  my 
sake,  I  will  regard  it  as  if  done  to  me  !" 


SINNING,     TO    REPENT.  71 

Consider,  fiirtlier,  that  in  assigning  to  the  service 
of  rehgion  only  some  vague  and  precarious  portion 
of  your  future  life,  (which  may  prove  to  be  no 
portion  of  it  at  all,)  the  intermediate  period, 
whether  longer  or  shorter,  is  not  to  be  a  mere 
blank,  without  influence  upon  your  character  and 
upon  your  ultimate  prospects  of  salvation.  You 
are  disinclined  to  take  up  the  subject  of  religion 
now,  because  you  "  feel  no  interest"  in  it.  I  have 
already  shown  you  the  fallacy  of  supposing,  that 
the  continued  neglect  of  religion  can  generate  a 
disposition  to  "consider"  it. 

But  note  further,  that  during  this  undefined 
period  which  is  still  to  precede  your  anticipated 
repentance,  you  are  to  be  drinking  in  the  spirit  of 
worldliness  and  travelling  to  a  still  greater  dis- 
tance from  God.  It  seems  strangely  incongruous 
to  talk  of  "repentance"  in  this  connection.  "Re- 
pentance" for  what?  Suppose  death  should  not 
step  in  and  extinguish  your  hopes  in  the  black- 
ness of  an  eternal  night ;  suppose  you  reach  the 
point,  the  distant,  shadowy,  receding  point,  where 


72  THE    GREAT    QUESTION. 

you  are  to  be  sated  witli  the  world  and  ready  to 
abandon  it,  what  do  you  propose  to  repent  of  ?  K 
you  refer  to  the  sins  of  your  past  lives,  it  seems 
quite  reasonable.  There  are  enough  of  them  to 
call  for  bitter  tears  and  the  deepest  humiliation. 
It  is  a  fearful  sight  to  look  back  over  a  whole  life 
and  see  nothing  there  but  sin.  There  is  a  call  for 
repentance.  But  your  plan  comprises  more  than 
this.  You  mean  to  repent  of  other  sins ;  sins  not 
yet  committed.  You  mean  to  repent  of  the  course 
you  are  just  now  entering  upon.  You  form  a 
purpose  to-day,  not  to  consider  the  subject  of 
religion  now,  with  the  avowed  intention  of  mourn- 
ing over  that  purpose  hereafter !  You  decline  a 
gracious  call  of  the  Gospel,  with  the  distinct 
avowal  that  you  mean  to  lament  that  you  declined 
it  and  to  ask  God's  forgiveness !  You  set  out 
upon  a  path  which  you  declare  your  intention  to 
retrace,  every  step  of  it,  with  tears !  This  is 
mysterious.  Were  you  to  banish  the  subject 
altogether,  and  brave  the  consequences  of  going 
into  eternity  without  repentance  or  faith  in  Christ, 
you  might  at  least  claim  the  merit  of  consistency. 


INFATUATION.  73 

But  this  idea  of  sinning  only  that  you  may  repent ; 
of  laughing  to-day  that  you  may  weep  over  your 
mirth  to-morrow ;  of  heaping  up  obstacles  between 
your  soul  and  heaven,  that  you  may  by  and  by 
remove  them  with  a  sorrowful  heart ;  of  j)ressing 
on  towards  the  very  verge  of  the  bottomless  pit, 
that  you  may  at  length,  when  the  earth  begins  to 
cave  from  under  your  feet,  fly  back  affrighted  at 
your  temerity,  and  seek  the  refuge  you  now  scorn 
— what  name  can  be  given  to  a  career  like  this  ! 
And  if  the  actors  in  it  were  other  parties,  and  you 
the  spectators,  what  alternative  would  you  feel 
forced  upon  you  in  seeking  a  solution  of  the 
strange  phenomenon,  but  that  they  were  either 
bereft  of  reason,  or  under  the  sway  of  a  hostility 
to  God  and  his  service,  so  inveterate  as  to  be 
proof  against  all  human  agencies  ? 

K  these  plain  allegations  have  not  offended  you, 
you  may  possibly  assent  to  their  substantial  verity. 
You  may  be  ready  to  go  as  far  as  the  Bible  itself 
in  condemning  the  unreasonableness  and  the 
criminality  of  your  inconsideration,  yet  you  may 


74  THE    GREAT    QUESTION. 

say,  the  fact  of  your  indifference  remains.  You 
"  do  not  feel  sufficient  interest  in  the  matter"  to 
take  it  up,  and  you  have  no  resource  but  to  defer 
it  till  you  do :  and  as  this  is  (so  you  imagine)  "  a 
thing  beyond  your  own  control,"  you  are  the  more 
disposed  to  let  it  rest  for  the  present. 

I  have  throughout  this  whole  discussion  recog- 
nized the  reality  of  this  difficulty.  Foolish  as 
it  is,  criminal  as  it  is,  dangerous  as  it  is, 
this  "lack  of  interest"  in  religion  constitutes  a 
real  and  formidable  hinderance  in  the  way  of  a 
proper  examination  of  the  subject.  But  as  no  one 
will  presume  to  plead  it  at  the  last  day  as  an  ex- 
cuse for  his  impenitence,  so  we  must  beware  how 
we  treat  it  with  a  mistaken  leniency  now.  The 
very  consciousness  of  this  aversion  to  serious 
things  ought  to  alarm  you.  It  is  the  white  spot 
upon  the  surface  which  indicates  the  leprosy 
within,  and  to  neglect  the  symptom,  is  to  trifle 
with  the  disease.  The  feeling,  too,  that  this  in- 
difference is  absolutely  beyond  your  control,  is 
but  another  effect  of  your  insidious  malady.     It 


SINCERITY    TESTED.  75 

is  true  you  cannot  change  your  own  heart,  nor 
can  you  by  a  mere  volition  replace  your  spiritual 
apathy,  with  that  solicitude  about  the  concerns  of 
eternity,  which  you  persuade  yourself  you  would 
like  to  experience. 

But  there  are  certain  other  things  which  are 
within  the  compass  of  your  own  volitions.  If  you 
are  not  practising  self-dissimulation,  if  you  sin- 
cerely desire  to  "become  interested  in  religion," 
you  will  leave  no  practicable  means  untried  to 
bring  about  so  important  an  end.  What,  then, 
can  you  do  ?  You  can  determine,  in  dependence 
on  the  help  of  God,  to  enter  upon  the  careful  and 
thorough  examination  of  the  subject.  You  can 
deal  with  it  as  you  would  with  any  literary,  politi- 
cal or  professional  question  which  might  require 
your  attention.  As  a  physician,  you  might  have 
to  grapple  with  some  disease  you  had  never  heard 
of.  As  a  lawyer,  you  might  find  it  necessary  to 
investigate  a  case  which  was  extremely  distasteful 
to  you.  As  a  merchant,  the  course  of  trade  might 
force  you  into  laborious  researches  in  some  de- 


76  THE    GREAT    QUESTION. 

partment  of  commerce  which  you  had  always 
shrunk  from  with  aversion.  But  in  these  exigen- 
cies, your  policy  would  be  decisive  and  onward. 
You  could  not  respect  yourself,  if  you  sat  down 
quietly  and  succumbed  to  your  feeling  of  indiffer- 
ence. Gathering  up  your  mental  energies,  you 
would  assail  the  obnoxious  topic  with  a  vigorous 
determination  to  master  it.  You  would  make  it 
the  theme  of  your  studies  and  reflections,  and 
avail  yourself  of  all  the  light  that  could  be  brought 
to  bear  upon  it.  And  according  to  the  establish- 
ed course  of  things,  your  antipathy  would  give 
way  and  your  interest  would  increase  as  you  pro- 
secuted your  inquest. 

What  has  Christianity  done,  that  it  is  not  en- 
titled to  the  same  treatment  at  your  hands  ?  Why 
should  3'ou  not  extend  to  it  the  fair  and  manly 
dealing  you  mete  out  to  any  and  eveiy  secular 
matter  in  which  you  are  implicated  ?  It  is  just  as 
competent  to  you  to  employ  your  powers  in  ex- 
amining a  question  of  theology  as  a  question  of 
jurisprudence  or  a  question  of  merchandise.    You 


MEANS    TO     BE    USED.  77 

can  as  well  set  about  the  systematic  reading  of 
the   Bible,   as   the  systematic  study  of  history, 
metaphysics   or   any  other  branch  of  literature. 
You  can  take  up  some  sterling  religious  book 
like  Hodge's  Way  of  Life,  "Wilberforce's  Practical 
View,  Gregory's  Letters,  Scott's  Force  of  Truth, 
or  Alexander's  Religious  Experience,  and  appro- 
priate a  specific  part  of  every  twenty-four  hours  to 
the  private  and  thoughtful  perusal  of  it.     You 
can  read  with  a  constant  reference  to  your  own 
character.     You  can  accompany  the  exercise  with 
fervent  prayer  for  Divine  assistance.     You  can  be 
earnest  in  invoking  the  Holy  Spirit  to  deliver  you 
from  error  and  unbelief,  to  subdue  your  evil  pas- 
sions, to  remove  your  indifiference,  to  convince  you 
of  sin,  and  to  lead  you  to  Christ.    You  can  avoid, 
in  a  measure,  those  scenes  and  associations,  and 
put  away  those  habits,  which  are  unfavorable  to 
serious  reflection.     You  can  converse  with  your 
pastor,  and  frequent  the  sanctuary,  and  attend  the 
weekly  religious  services  of  the  congregation  to 
which  you  belong,  and  seek  the  society  of  Chris- 
tian people,    and   court   such   influences   as   are 

8* 


78  THE    GEEAT    QUESTION. 

adapted  to  foster  your  good  purposes  and  enliven 
your  apprehension  of  "  the  powers  and  terrors"  of 
the  world  to  come.  When  you  have  finished  one 
book,  you  can  read  another  and  another.  You 
can  do  all  this  with  the  feeling  that  religion  is  no 
longer  to  he  tampered  with ;  that  your  soul  is  too 
precious  to  he  enticed  to  hell  by  the  visionary 
purpose  of  future  repentance ;  that,  however  it 
may  be  with  others,  the  time  has  come  lor  you  to 
make  your  peace  with  God ;  and  that,  God  help- 
ing you,  nothing  shall  divert  you  from  this  work, 
until  you  are  washed  from  your  sins  in  the  blood 
of  the  cross,  and  made  a  new  creature  in  Christ 
Jesus. 

These  things  you  can  do.  These  things  you 
ought  to  do.  And  should  you  do  them — with 
humility,  with  perseverance,  with  importunate 
prayer — can  you  doubt  as  to  the  result  ?  Do  you 
not  believe  that  your  indifference  would  soon 
vanish?  that  what  you  had  undertaken  fi'om  a 
sheer  conviction  of  duty,  would  presently  awaken 
the  dormant  sensibilities  of  your  soul ;  that  what 


WILL    YOU    TRY?  79 

was  at  first  a  matter  of  pure  intellect,  would  be- 
come no  less  a  matter  of  feeling;  tliat  religion 
would  begin  to  unfold  itself  to  your  mind  in  the 
solemn  grandeur  of  its  proportions,  as  at  once  the 
most  august  and  the  most  urgent  of  all  interests ; 
and  that  from  being  a  mere  denizen  of  earth,  liv- 
ing only  for  the  world,  without  a  thought,  per- 
haps, of  God  and  eternity,  you  would  find  yourself 
engrossed  with  the  one  question,  "What  must  I 
DO  TO  BE  SAVED  ?"  and  pressing  into  the  kingdom 
of  heaven  with  an  energy  that  would  brook  no 
delay  ?  Can  you  doubt  that  something  like  this 
would  follow  ?  And  if  you  believe  it  would,  can 
you  refuse  to  make  the  trial  ? 


ENCOURAGEMENTS. 

Up  to  this  point  it  has  been  my  aim  to  exhibit 
the  true  nature,  and  counteract  the  influence  of 
that  "lack  of  interest"  in  the  subject  of  religion, 
which  has  made  you  unwilling  to  sit  down  to  the 
serious  consideration  of  it.  If  I  have  at  all  suc- 
ceeded in  dispelling  the  sophistries  and  self- 
illusions  which  usually  pertain  to  this  state  of 
mind,  and  in  showing  that  this  indifference  to 
religion  is  a  matter  very  much  within  your  own 
control,  there  is  one  specious  suggestion  which 
may  still  ensnare  you.  You  may  hesitate  about 
entering  upon  the  course  of  reading  and  reflection 
proposed  to  yoa,  from  a  feeling  of  distrust  as  to 
the  ultimate  result.  There  are  "  difficulties"  in 
the  way,  and  you  are  "not  certain''  that  you  could 
surmount  them.  You  "might  set  out  and  fail." 
Such  is  your  conviction  of  the  reasonableness  and 


82  THE    GREAT    QUESTION. 

importance  of  the  duty  enjoined  upon  you,  that 
nothing  could  deter  you  from  giving  jowr  atten- 
tion to  the  subject,  if  you  helieved  it  would 
"avail;"  but  having  no  assurance  on  this  point, 
you  shrink  from  undertaking  it. 

Here,  again,  the  reality  of  the  hinderance  must 
be  admitted.  In  all  enterprises  hopefulness  is  one 
of  the  main  elements  of  success.  It  is  sad  drudg- 
ery to  toil  and  fag  at  an  occupation  which  promises 
to  reward  us  only  with  disappointment.  Where 
we  have  no  encouragement,  we  have  no  resolu- 
tion. Without  the  prospect  of  attaining  an  end,  we 
can  have  no  heart  to  pursue  it.  And  as  this  prin- 
ciple applies  equally  to  spiritual  and  to  temporal 
objects,  it  is  not  surprising  that  persons  should 
hesitate  about  addressing  themselves  to  the  mat- 
ter of  their  personal  salvation,  if  they  see  no 
likelihood  of  securing  it. 

But  on  the  other  hand,  religion  has  cause  to 
complain  that  it  is  not  placed,  as  regards  this 
point,  on  a  footing  with  secular  affairs,     l^o  poli- 


UNREASONABLE    DEMANDS.  83 

tician  insists  upon  certainty  of  success,  before 
aspiring  to  a  post  of  honor  in  the  state.  No  phy- 
sician refuses  to  cope  with  a  disease,  until  he  is 
certain  he  can  master  it.  The  multifarious  opera- 
tions of  commerce,  are  all  based  upon  contingent 
calculations.  Individuals  frequently  expend  a 
fortune  in  experimental  mining  or  manufacturing, 
where,  in  the  judgment  of  impartial  observers,  the 
probabilities  of  success  are  scarcely  more  than 
five  in  a  hundred.  And  enlightened  governments 
will  lay  out  millions  of  money,  and  jeopard  whole 
fleets,  in  exploring  regions  which  are  utterly  in- 
accessible to  commerce,  and  which  the  more  they 
are  traversed,  stamp  with  greater  hopelessness, 
the  idea  of  turning  them  to  any  valuable  practical 
use.  Why  not  proceed  in  the  same  way  in  spirit- 
ual things  ?  With  what  propriety  can  we  demand 
a  measure  of  certainty  in  seeking  our  own  salva- 
tion, which  we  should  pronounce  very  unreason- 
able in  seeking  fame  or  fortune  ?  Why  be  dis- 
heartened, where  the  soul  is  concerned,  with 
obstacles  which  would  only  sharpen  the  appetite 
and  stimulate  ambition,  if  it  were  a  question  of 


84  THE    GREAT    QUESTION. 

property,  or  a  question  of  science?  One  miglit 
suppose  that  tlie  whole  bias  of  men's  minds, 
would  be  tlie  other  way ;  that  the  bare  possibility 
of  salvation  would  be  sufficient  to  arouse  them  to 
the  highest  degree  of  effort ;  and  that  instead  of 
being  retarded  or  repelled  by  difficulties,  every 
new  hinderance  would  be  but  a  fresh  incentive  to 
exertion.  "Where  life  is  concerned,  this  is  the 
case.  No  man  gives  over  caring  for  his  health, 
because  his  symptoms  are  unfavorable,  or  the 
remedial  agents  he  wishes  to  employ,  difficult  of 
access.  "All  that  a  man  hath,  will  he  give  for 
his  life."  The  universal  principle  with  invalids 
is,  while  there  is  life,  there  is  hope,  and  while 
there  is  hope,  no  means  of  cure  must  be  neglect- 
ed. How  extraordinary  then,  is  it,  that  men 
should  be  so  easily  turned  aside,  where  instead  of 
life,  it  is  the  soul  which  is  at  stake  !  But  without 
stopping  to  speculate  on  the  causes  of  a  phenom- 
enon, which  is,  unhapj^ily,  so  familiar  that  it  has 
ceased  to  excite  wonder,  it  is  more  to  our  present 
purpose  to  observe,  that  there  is  actually  less  reason 
for   discouragement   in   this,   the   most   urgent   and 


SUCCESS    TO    BE    EXPECTED.  85 

momentous  of  all  pursuits,  than  there  is  in  our  com- 
mon  secular   avocations.      Whatever   grounds   we 
may  have  for  anticipating  success  in  any  finan- 
cial or  professional  undertaking,  we  have  more 
for  expecting  it  in  proper  exertions  to  escape  from 
the  thraldom  of  sin.     I  say  "proper  exertions," 
because  in  many  cases,  the  effort  is  really  not 
made  in  good  faith ;  it  is  a  mere  languid,  tem- 
porary striving,  with  which  the  heart  has  very 
little  to  do ;  and  which  must  fail  as  a  matter  of 
course.     But  there  is  seldom  any  failure,  where 
this  object  is  pursued  with  the  earnestness,  which 
men   usually  bring  to  the  prosecution  of  their 
worldly  schemes. 

There  is  however,  a  peculiarity  about  the  search 
after  religion,  which  ought  to  be  noticed  in  this 
connection.  Most  persons  have  but  vague  ideas 
of  what  it  is  to  "become  religious."  The  entrance 
upon  a  Christian  life  is,  to  their  minds,  shrouded 
in  mystery.  They  know  that  except  they  are 
"born  again,"  they  cannot  see  the  kingdom  of 
God,  and  that  this  change  must  be  wrought  by 
9 


86  THE     GREAT     QUESTION. 

the  Holy  Spirit.     The  acknowledged  greatness  of 
the  transformation,  combined  perhaps  with  the 
inspired  account  of  the  effusion  of  the   Spirit  on 
the  day  of  Pentecost,  has  impressed  them  with 
the  feeling,  that  if  they  are  ever  renewed,  the 
Divine  influence  which  is  to  effect  it,  will  come 
"like  a  rushing,  mighty  wind,"  or  in  some  other 
palpable  manner,  and  impel  them  into  the  king- 
dom of  heaven.    They  suppose  that  the  operations 
of  the  Spirit  upon  the  heart,  can  ordinarily  be 
distinguished  from  our  own  mental  exercises  ;  and 
that  until  we  are  conscious  of  His  presence,  it  must 
be  useless  to  set  about  the  work  of  repentance. 
That  a  regenerated  person  may  have  a  perfect 
assurance,  that  the  mighty  transformation  he  has 
experienced,  was  as  much  beyond  the  compass  of 
his  own  powers,  as  it  would  be  to  create  a  world, 
is  an  undoubted  fact.     But  it  is  from  the  Bible 
we  learn  to  ascribe  every  thing  good  in  our  exer- 
cises, to  the  influence  of  the  Spirit.     He  exerts 
his  power  upon  us,  in  a  manner  strictly  adapted 
to  the  laws  of  our  rational  nature.     "It  is  God 
which  worketh  in    you  both  to  will  and  to  do 


WHERE     IT     LISTETH.  87 

of  his  good  pleasure."  Not  only  "to  do,"  but 
even  "to  will."  He  touches  and  controls  the 
secret  springs  of  volition ;  so  that  when  we  "  will," 
or  determine  to  cease  from  sinning,  to  study  the 
Scriptures,  or  to  do  anything  else  which  He  has 
commanded,  the  impulse  and  the  strength  really 
come  from  the  Spirit.  We  are  conscious  of 
the  determination  or  choice,  (with  the  motives 
which  induce  it,)  and  in  this,  of  course,  we  are 
perfectly  voluntary.  But  there  is  a  mysterious 
power  at  work  back  of  our  volitions,  and  secretly 
prompting  them.  And  it  is  on  this  very  ground 
the  apostle  bids  us,  "  work  out  our  own  salvation." 
(See  Phil.  ii.  12,  13.)  The  Spirit  is  waking  us 
from  our  slumber ;  therefore,  we  should  yield  to 
the  bias  he  is  giving  to  our  inclinations,  and  put 
forth  our  earnest  efforts  in  the  same  direction. 
To  expect  that  He  will  disclose  his  agency  to  our 
minds,  is  to  mistake  the  whole  character  of  his 
functions.  Our  Saviour  compares  his  influence  to 
the  wind,  which  is  invisible,  silent,  and  penetra- 
ting. You  are  waiting,  you  say,  for  the  Spirit  to 
come  and  change  your  heart.     Has  not  the  Spirit 


88  THE    GREAT    QUESTION. 

visited  you  already?  Are  you  not  thoughtful 
about  your  soul's  concerns  ?  Do  you  not  read  the 
Bible  with  greater  satisfaction?  Does  not  the 
truth  fall  upon  your  ear  in  the  sanctuary,  with  a 
difierent  sound  ?  Is  not  your  love  of  the  world 
checked  ?  Are  you  not  more  disposed  to  seek  the 
society  of  Christian  people  ?  Does  not  the  subject 
of  .religion  follow  you  to  your  place  of  business, 
and  often  come  up  unbidden  to  your  mind  ?  And 
yet,  you  are  "  waiting  for  the  Spirit !"  What  does 
all  this  mean,  if  it  is  not  the  Spirit  moving  upon 
your  heart?  "While  you  are  looking  here  and 
there  for  the  Spirit,  he  is  already  within  you. 
While,  like  Naaman  and  the  prophet,  you  are 
expecting  him  to  come  and  do  some  great  thing 
for  you,  you  hear  not  the  still,  small  voice  with 
which  he  is  admonishing  you  to  look  to  Christ 
and  live.  In  occasional  examples,  he  still  ap- 
proaches individuals,  as  he  did  Saul  of  Tarsus, 
and  urges  them  into  his  kingdom  with  an  impet- 
uosity, which  leaves  them  no  room  to  doubt, 
either  as  to  the  reality  of  the  change  in  their  con- 
dition, or  the  agency  which  has  produced  it.    But 


WAITING.  89 

these  are  exceptions  to  the  estabUshed  law  of  his 
administration.  In  ordinary  cases,  his  first  de- 
monstration upon  the  heart,  is  of  a  more  tranquil 
character ;  and  the  entire  process  is  apt  to  differ 
essentially  from  anything  which  the  individuals 
concerned  may  have  anticipated.  Enough  to 
know,  that  you  are  not  to  wait  in  passive  idleness 
for  the  Spirit's  aid.  If  you  are  willing  to  give  up 
your  sins,  it  is  He  who  has  made  you  willing.  K 
you  desire  to  come  to  Christ,  that  desire  is  from 
his  silent  influence  upon  your  heart.  Submit  to 
his  strivings;  implore  his  further  aid;  and  you 
will  find  the  promise  true,  "to  him  that  hath, 
shall  be  given." 

Here  in  fact,  is  one  of  the  great  encouragements 
you  have  to  enter  at  once  upon  a  religious  life. 
The  seriousness  of  which  you  may  even  now  be 
conscious,  shows  that  God  is  mindful  of  you,  and 
waits  to  bless  you.  For  this  state  of  feeling  is  not 
the  fruit  of  chance.  It  is  one  of  those  good  gifts 
which  come  down  from  above  ;  a  token  of  kind- 
ness ;  a  harbinger  of  mercy.     You  may  say  of  it, 

9* 


90  THE    GREAT    QUESTION. 

as  Manoah's  wife  said  to  liim,  wlien  lie  was  ex- 
pecting the  Divine  displeasure  to  break  forth 
against  them.  "  K  the  Lord  were  pleased  to  kill 
us,  he  would  not  have  received  a  burnt-offering 
and  a  meat-offering  at  our  hands,  neither  would 
he  have  showed  us  all  these  things,  nor  would,  as 
at  this  time,  have  told  us  such  things  as  these." 
If  the  Lord  had  not  thoughts  of  peace  towards 
you,  would  he  have  disturbed  your  spiritual  slum- 
ber, and  enkindled  in  your  breast  this  solicitude 
about  your  soul?  Or,  if  this  language  be  too 
strong,  would  he  have  inclined  you  to  reflect  on 
your  prospects  for  eternity,  and  to  listen  to  the 
utterances  of  his  word  with  an  unwonted  thought- 
fulness?  Here  is  the  very  Being  knocking  at 
your  door,  on  whom  your  salvation  depends.  Can 
you  need  any  further  assurance  of  his  readiness 
to  save  you  ? 

Or,  take  a  broader  view  of  this  question.  You 
ask,  what  encouragement  have  I  to  seek  an  in- 
terest in  Christ?  The  obvious  and  conclusive 
answer  is,  to  point  you  to  the  Bible.     "What  is 


GRACE    ABOUNDING.  91 

the  Bible,  but  a  revelation  of  the  Divine  mercy  to 
our  world  ?  "  God  so  loved  the  world,  that  he 
gave  his  only  begotten  Son,  that  whosoever 
believeth  in  him  should  not  perish,  but  have 
everlasting  life."  "  This  is  a  faithful  saying,  and 
worthy  of  all  acceptation,  that  Christ  Jesus  came 
into  the  world  to  save  sinners."  "Him  that 
Cometh  unto  me,  I  will  in  no  wise  cast  out." 
What  would  you  have  more  ?  What  could  you 
have  ?  Here  is  a  sacrifice  of  infinite  cost,  which 
God,  of  his  own  sovereign  w^ill,  provided  for  the 
redemption  of  our  race.  Here  is  the  distinct 
announcement,  that  the  grand  object  for  which 
his  beloved  Son  became  incarnate,  was  to  save 
sinners.  And  here  is  the  gracious  promise  of  the 
Saviour,  that  he  will  receive  every  sinner  who 
comes  to  him.  Are  you  prepared  to  say  that  God 
should  have  done  more  than  this  ?  It  cannot  be. 
The  more  you  reflect  upon  it,  the  greater  must  be 
your  astonishment  that  he  should  have  done  so 
much.  N'or  can  you  fail  to  see  here  the  truth  of 
the  observation  already  made,  that  you  have  far 
more  reason  to  hope  for  success,  in  a  diligent  and 


92  THE    GREAT    QUESTION. 

prayerful  searcli  for  salvation,  than  you  liave  in 
prosecuting  any  mere  secular  plan  whatever. 
But  although  you  could  not  demand  more  at 
God's  hand,  he  has  actually  given  you  more. 

I  refer  now  especially,  to  the  character  of  the 
Saviour.  I  mean  by  this,  not  his  abstract  ability 
to  accomplish  the  work  he  has  undertaken ;  that 
is  implied  in  his  being  the  co-equal  of  the  Father, 
"  God  over  all  blessed  for  ever."  But  I  allude  to 
Ms  personal  characteristics  as  exemplified  in  his 
teachings  and  actions.  Take  up  the  Gospels,  and 
study  his  life.  Listen  to  his  discourses.  Place 
yourself  by  him  while  he  performs  his  miracles. 
Go  with  him  into  the  abodes  of  poverty  and  suf- 
fering. See  with  what  compassion  he  deals  with 
the  sick  and  the  sorrowful,  the  tempted  and  the 
erring.  Behold  what  power  a  cry  of  distress  has 
to  arrest  him  on  his  journeys;  how  he  accommo- 
dates himself  to  the  weaknesses  and  the  prejudices 
of  different  suppliants  ;  how  gently  he  reproves 
and  instructs  his  ignorant  and  impetuous  disciples ; 
how  tenderly  he  sympathizes  with  every  stricken 


OUR    IMMANUEL.  93 

one  who  repairs  to  him  for  succor.  All  this  is  so 
much  superadded  to  his  boundless  capacity  to 
save  sinners.  It  is  omnipotence  blended  with 
naeekness  and  benevolence  and  pity  and  long- 
suffering,  and  tenderness  beyond  the  yearnings  of 
a  mother's  heart.  It  not  only  meets  and  counter- 
vails the  sentiment  of  dread,  which  makes  a  sinful 
creature  shrink  from  approaching  the  Creator; 
but  it  clothes  the  incarnate  Deity  with  all  those 
human  attributes  which  usually  win  our  affections 
and  inspire  our  confidence.  It  diminishes  un- 
speakably, the  difficulty  of  this  work,  that  the 
Saviour  is  one  who  bears  our  nature,  and  has 
been  tempted  in  all  points  as  we  are,  and  can 
therefore,  be  touched  with  a  feeling  of  our  infir- 
mities. You  cannot  but  feel  that  there  is  every- 
thing in  his  character  to  encourage  your  hopes ; 
and  the  more  so  when  you  reflect,  that  during  his 
earthly  ministry,  he  never  sent  a  sincere  and 
humble  suppliant  away  without  a  blessing. 

But  we   may  go   a   step  further   still   in   this 
direction.     If  the  Saviour's  character  holds  out 


94  THE    GREAT    QUESTION. 

encouragement  to  you,  so  also  does  the  mission 
of  the  Spirit.  We  have  just  been  speaking  of 
his  agency  in  another  aspect.  Consider  it  now  as 
an  incentive  to  resolute  and  persevering  effort. 
So  rigorous  is  the  bondage  sin  has  imposed  upon 
us,  that  the  crucifixion  itself  would  have  been  in- 
effectual to  our  salvation,  but  for  the  ministration 
of  the  Spirit.  His  presence,  however,  obviates 
every  difficulty.  We  are  by  nature  blind  to  spirit- 
ual things,  ignorant  of  ourselves,  averse  to  holi- 
ness, inflated  with  ideas  of  our  own  goodness, 
devoted  to  the  world,  ashamed  of  Christ.  K 
aroused  to  some  degree  of  solicitude  about  our 
Bouls,  we  become  painfully  conscious  of  the 
strength  of  our  depraved  passions;  the  way  of 
salvation  appears  obscure ;  we  have  no  distinct 
apprehension  of  what  we  ought  to  do,  and  too 
often  lack  the  moral  courage  to  obey  the  dictates 
of  our  consciences.  What  with  the  turmoil  of 
feeling  within,  and  the  subtle  temptations  which 
are  sure  to  assail  us  from  without,  we  are  apt  to 
conclude  that  the  task  to  which  we  are  summoned 
is  too  great  for  us,  and  must  be  given  up  or  post- 


MISSION    OP    THE    SPIRIT.  95 

poned  to  a  more  auspicious  season.  This  insidi- 
ous suggestion  has  its  proper  antidote  in  the 
doctrine  of  the  Spirit's  influence.  The  task  laid 
upon  you  is  beyond  your  strength.  But  what 
then  ?  ■  Does  it  exceed  the  resources  of  the 
omnipotent  Spirit  ?  Can  not  He  who  said,  "  Let 
there  be  light,"  dispel  the  darkness  of  your  un- 
derstanding? Can  not  He  who  reduced  the 
primeval  chaos  to  symmetry  and  beauty,  restore 
harmony  and  peace  to  your  agitated  breast  ?  This 
is  his  prerogative,  and  this  his  errand  in  our 
world.  "  When  he,  the  Spirit  of  truth  is  come, 
he  shall  guide  you  into  all  truth."  It  is  his 
beneficent  office  to  enlighten  the  mind ;  to  banish 
its  ignorance  and  prejudice ;  to  show  the  sinner 
the  worthlessness  of  his  own  righteousness  as  a 
foundation  for  his  hopes ;  to  make  him  sensible  of 
his  spiritual  penury ;  to  reveal  to  him  the  excel- 
lency and  glory  of  the  Redeemer,  and  to  lead  him 
a  willing  bondman  to  the  Saviour's  feet,  with  the 
feeling, 

"  Nothing  in  my  hand  I  bring, 
Simply  to  thy  cross  I  cling ; 


96  THE    GREAT    QUESTION. 

Naked,  come  to  thee  for  dress, 
Helpless,  look  to  thee  for  grace  ; 
Vile,  I  to  the  fountain  fly, 
Wash  me.  Saviour,  or  I  die  \" 

This  is  wiiat  you  need.  It  is  all  you  need. 
And  that  Divine  Spirit,  who  can  accomplish  this 
for  you — who  can  teach  you,  strengthen  you, 
renew  you,  guide  you  to  Christ  and  fit  you  for 
heaven — is  a  God  at  hand,  as  well  as  a  God  afar 
off.  His  ministry  is  the  great  promise  of  the  new 
dispensation.  There  is  no  blessing  we  have  so 
much  encouragement  to  pray  for.  We  are  even 
told  that  God  is  more  willing  to  give  the  Spirit  to 
those  who  ask  him,  than  parents  are  to  give  good 
gifts  to  their  children. 

The  whole  ground  of  your  hinderances  and 
misgivings,  therefore,  is  covered.  Here  is  an 
almighty  Spirit  to  conduct  you,  and  an  almighty 
Saviour  to  receive  you.  You  have  no  difficulties 
from  which  they  cannot  extricate  you ;  no  obsta- 
cles which  they  cannot  enable  you  to  surmount ; 
no  want  which  they  cannot  supply.  If  such  prof- 
fers of  aid  were  tendered  you  in  any  secular  pur- 


LIVING    WITNESSES.  97 

suit,  how  eagerly  you  would  grasp  at  them.  Are 
they  of  less  value  where  your  salvation  is  at 
stake  ? 

But  you  may  be  unreasonable  enough  to  hesi- 
tate still,  because  these  are  "  abstract"  promises  : 
you  would  like  to  see  them  "tested,"  and  then 
you  could  feel  more  confidence  in  venturing  upon 
them.  Well,  this  scruple  is  provided  for.  You 
have  but  to  look  around  and  you  can  be  gratified. 
There  are  witnesses  on  every  side  to  testify,  that 
they  have  proved  these  promises  and  found  Ihem 
true  to  the  letter.  They  stood  once  where  you 
stand,  (for  I  am  supposing  that  you  have  begun 
to  "consider  your  ways.")  They  had  the  same 
doubts  and  fears,  the  same  obscure  views  and 
fluctuating  purposes.  The  world  tempted  them 
as  it  is  tempting  you.  They  formed  resolutions 
and  broke  them.  They  were  almost  persuaded 
to  be  Christians,  and  then  the  shame  of  the  cross 
overcame  their  fortitude.  They  determined  to 
enter  upon  a  new  course  of  life,  and  the  fear  that 
they  "might  not  persevere,"  made  them  draw 
10 


98  THE    GREAT    QUESTION. 

back.  But  the  Spirit  continued  to  strive  with 
them,  until,  at  length,  yielding  to  his  benign 
solicitations,  and  relying  upon  his  assistance,  they 
gave  themselves  up  to  the  Saviour  with  penitent 
and  grateful  hearts,  and  now  they  are  "rejoicing 
in  hope  of  the  gloiy  of  God."  Their  faith  rebukes 
your  unbelief.  The  way  of  salvation  is  laid  open 
to  you  as  it  was  to  them.  You  have  the  same 
warrant  to  accept  of  Christ's  gracious  invitation. 
You  have  the  additional  motives  supplied  by  their 
experience.  You  have  the  sympathies  and  prayers 
of  all  Christian  people.  Your  judgment  is  con- 
vinced. Your  conscience  is  on  the  side  of  reli- 
gion. The  Spirit  and  the  Bride  bid  you  "  Come." 
Why  do  you  linger  ? 

How  extraordinaiy  is  it,  that  arguments  and 
appeals  like  these  should  be  necessary.  Who  is 
the  ]3arty  to  be  benefited?  Whose  salvation 
waits  on  these  trembling  balances  ?  What  mea- 
suring-line has  sounded  the  depths  of  that  abyss, 
what  pen  has  depicted  the  glories  of  that  paradise, 
between  which  your  wavering  spirit  vibrates  ? 


LONG-SUFFERING.  99 

And  yet  you  demand  encouragements  and  induce- 
ments to  begin  a  religious  life,  as  though  you  were 
the  party  to  confer  the  favor,  and  God  to  be  the 
recipient  of  it !  How  amazing  his  forbearance, 
that  even  this  ungrateful  and  (if  the  word  must  be 
used)  arrogant  state  of  mind,  should  not  repel  his 
clemency.  He  actually  stoops  to  your  caprices 
and  gratifies  your  unreasonable  exactions.  He 
holds  out  "  encouragements"  to  you  far  beyond 
any  thing  you  could  ask  or  expect.  There  is  not 
an  impediment  in  your  way,  not  a  difficulty  you 
have  to  meet,  for  which  he  has  not  provided. 
And  to  crown  the  whole  costly  and  elaborate 
system  of  relief  which  his  munificence  has  pre- 
pared, his  Spirit  continues  to  strive  with  you. 
You  may  have  tried  to  banish  the  subject  of 
religion  from  your  thoughts,  and  found  yourself 
unequal  to  the  task.  Irksome  as  it  may  be,  it 
cleaves  to  you  with  a  tenacity  you  cannot  over- 
come. E'either  reading  nor  company,  neither  bu- 
siness nor  pleasure,  brings  you  relief.  Thoughts  of 
eternity  rush  upon  you  in  the  midst  of  your  daily 
activities.  They  disturb  you  in  the  night-watches. 


100  THE    GREAT    QUESTION. 

The  spiritual  apathy  of  those  around  you  cannot 
tranquihze  your  conscience.  The  sense  of  guilt 
haunts  you,  and  the  terrors  of  a  coming  judgment 
may  oppress  you,  even  while  you  are  forcing 
yourself  to  appear  cheerful.  "What  is  all  this  hut 
the  striving  of  the  Spirit?  the  long-suffering  of 
God,  who  is  not  willing  you  should  perish,  hut 
rather  that  you  should  come  to  repentance  ? 

Consider  now  what  He  has  done  for  your  sal- 
vation. Review  the  way  in  which  he  has  led  you. 
Ponder  well  the  position  you  occupy.  And 
see  whether  you  can  expect  ever  to  he  placed 
again  in  circumstances  so  favorahle  to  your  con- 
version. You  cannot  suppose  either  that  God  is 
indifferent  to  the  manner  in  which  you  requite  his 
gracious  dispensations,  or  that  his  mercy  is  inex- 
haustible. While  he  offers  us  a  free  salvation,  he 
cannot  hut  view  the  deliberate  and  persevering 
rejection  of  his  offer,  with  abhorrence.  The 
goodness  displayed  in  redemption  is  infinite. 
And  for  such  creatures  as  we  are,  to  decline  its 
benefits  when  He  himself  presses  them  upon  our 


PAUSE.  101 

acceptance,  betrays  an  ingratitude  and  a  liardi- 
liood,  wliicli  cannot  go  unpunislied.     There  is  a 
limit,  beyond  which  the  Spirit  will  cease  to  strive. 
There  is  a  point  where  mercy  turns  to  vengeance. 
Your  present  thoughtfulness   may  warrant  the 
hope,   that  you  have  not  yet  passed  this   fatal 
barrier.     But  you  may  be  rapidly  approaching  it. 
Everything  may  hang  upon  the  issue  of  this  con- 
flict.    While  you  are  hesitating  whether  to  cast 
yom-self  at  the  Saviour's  feet,  or  to  cleave  a  little 
longer  to  a  world  which  is  deceiving  and  ensna- 
ring you,  the  hours  may  be  hasting  away,  which 
are  to  fix  your  everlasting  destiny.     It  should  be 
enough   to  end   this   strife,  that  your   salvation 
depends  upon  God,  and  that  this  appears  to  be 
Mis  time.     If  Levi  had  not  instantly  left  all  when 
Christ  called  him,  it  is  not  probable  he  would 
ever  have   been  made  a  disciple.     K  the  three 
thousand  on  the  day  of  Pentecost  had  not  obeyed 
Peter's  instructions,  they  might  never  have  been 
converted.     To  trifle  with  serious  impressions,  is 
to  insult  God.     To  refuse  to  hear  his  voice  when 
he  is  speaking  directly  to  our  heart,  is  to  run  the 
10* 


102  THE    GREAT    QUESTION. 

hazard  of  iucurring  that  awful  doom,  depicted  In 
the  book  of  Proverbs,  (Chapter  1st.)  "  Because  I 
have  called,  and  ye  refused ;  I  have  stretched  out 
my  hand,  and  no  man  regarded ;  but  ye  have  set 
at  nought  all  my  counsel,  and  would  none  of  my 
reproof;  I  also  will  laugh  at  your  calamity ;  I  will 
mock  when  your  fear  cometh ;  when  your  fear 
eometh  as  desolation,  and  your  destruction  cometh 
as  a  whirlwind ;  when  distress  and  anguish  cometh 
upon  you.  Then  shall  they  call  upon  me,  but  I 
will  not  answer ;  they  shall  seek  me  early,  but 
they  shall  not  find  me ;  for  that  they  hated  know- 
ledge, and  did  not  choose  the  fear  of  the  Lord ; 
they  would  none  of  my  counsel ;  they  despised  all 
my  reproof.  Therefore  shall  they  eat  of  the  fruit 
of  their  own  way,  and  be  filled  with  their  own 
devices." 

I  have  assumed  in  the  former  part  of  this  Sec- 
tion, that  the  reader  has  been  startled  from  his  im- 
penitency,  and  led  to  sober  reflection.  But,  as  has 
just  been  intimated,  it  would  be  too  much  to  sup- 
pose, that  this  will  be  the  case  with  all  into  whose 


OBDURACY.  103 

hands  this  book  may  fall.  Some  among  them  will 
doubtless  be  as  unwilling  as  ever,  to  take  up  tlie 
subject  of  religion,  and  consider  it  with  the 
seriousness  which  it  demands.  To  persons  of 
this  description,  I  feel  at  some  loss  what  to  say. 
Professing  to  know  something  of  the  ground  you 
occupy,  I  have  endeavored  with  all  the  kindness 
which  was  compatible  with  fidelity  to  your  souls, 
to  exhibit  the  criminality  of  this  inconsideration, 
to  expose  the  sophistries  by  which  it  is  usually 
palliated,  to  set  forth  your  duty,  and  to  show 
what  ample  encouragement  God  has  given  you  to 
set  about  the  performance  of  it.  That  we  should 
have  gone  over  all  these  topics  without  mitigating 
your  aversion  to  the  subject,  is  a  fact  of  very  pain- 
ful significance.  It  is  one  of  those  facts  which 
make  men  feel  their  impotence,  in  dealing  with 
the  depravity  of  the  human  heart.  What  a  deep 
seated  enmity  to  God,  must  possess  the  carnal 
m.ind,  when  it  can  stand  out,  not  simply  against 
the  majesty  and  severity  of  the  law,  but  against 
the  boundless  love  and  tenderness  of  the  gospel ! 
when  it  can  even  refuse  to  consider  the  claims  of 


104  THE    GREAT    QUESTION. 

the  Redeemer,  to  our  confidence  and  veneration  ! 
And  wliat  must  this  import  as  to  the  moral  con- 
dition of  these  persons  ?  The  apostle  speaks  of 
"tokens  of  perdition."  It  is  a  pregnant  phrase. 
I  will  not  say  that  it  appertains  to  any  reader  of 
this  volume.  But  you  must  judge  for  yourself, 
whether  this  confirmed  inconsideration  is  not 
likely  to  prove,  in  your  own  case,  a  "token  of 
perdition."  Does  it  not  look  as  though  the  spir- 
itual insensibility,  which  has  seized  upon  you, 
were  to  he  invincible  and  permanent  ?  Does  it 
not  seem  like  an  omen  of  final  and  remediless 
ruin  ?  I  see  not  how  any  human  agency  is  to 
prevent  this  result.  Our  only  hope  is  in  God. 
He  can  prevent  it.  But  when  the  question  is 
asked,  will  he  do  this  ?  every  tongue  must  be 
mute.  Secret  things  teelong  unto  the  Lord.  We 
may  not  presume  to  pry  into  his  counsels.  One 
resource  we  have  left — -frayer.  If  your  Christian 
friends  have  any  proper  love  for  your  soul,  they 
will  be  importunate  in  their  intercessions  for  you. 
If  you  are  not  resolved  upon  self-destruction,  I 
entreat  you  to  pray  for  yourself.     Peradventure, 


THE    SPIKIT    QUENCHED.  105 

tlaere  may  yet  be  mercy  for  you.  The  Father  may 
even  now  wait  to  receive  you.  The  Saviour  may  be 
stretching  out  his  hands  towards  you,  and  crying, 
"  Look  unto  me,  and  live."  The  Holy  Spirit  may 
be  secretly  saying  to  you,  "Awake,  thou  that 
sleepest,  and  arise  from  the  dead,  and  Christ  shall 
give  thee  light." 

If  you  heed  these  gracious  monitions,  and,  put- 
ting away  all  evasions  and  subterfuges,  say  with 
the  prodigal,  "I  will  arise  and  go  to  my  Father," 
it  will  be  well.  Eternity  will  ratify  the  decision, 
and  you  will  rejoice  over  it  with  a  joy  unspeak- 
able and  full  of  glory.  But  if  you  still  refuse,  and 
continue  to  reject  the  proffered  mercy,  I  must 
again  remind  you,  that  you  tread  on  dangerous 
ground :  for  it  is  written,  "  My  Spirit  shall  not 
always  strive  with  man." 

"  There  is  a  time,  we  know  not  when, 

A  point  we  know  not  where, 
That  marks  the  destiny  of  men 

To  glory  or  despair. 

There  is  a  line,  by  us  unseen, 
That  crosses  every  path  ; 


106  THE    GREAT    QUESTION. 

The  hidden  boundary  between 
God's  patience  and  his  wrath. 

To  pass  that  limit  is  to  die, 

To  die  as  if  by  stealth ; 
It  does  not  quench  the  beaming  eye, 

Or  pale  the  glow  of  health. 

The  conscience  may  be  still  at  ease, 
The  spirits  light  and  gay  ; 

That  which  is  pleasing  still  may  please, 
And  care  be  thrust  away. 

But  on  that  forehead  God  has  set 

Indelibly  a  mark, 
Unseen  by  man,  for  man  as  yet 

Is  blind  and  in  the  dark. 

And  yet  the  doomed  man's  path  below 
May  bloom,  as  Eden  bloomed  : 

He  did  not,  does  not,  will  not  know, 
Or  feel  that  he  is  doomed. 

He  knows,  he  feels  that  all  is  well. 
And  every  fear  is  calmed ; 

He  lives,  he  dies,  he  wakes  in  hell, 
Not  only  doomed,  but  damned. 

0  where  is  this  mysterious  bourn. 
By  which  our  path  is  crossed ; 

Beyond  which,  God  himself  hath  sworn. 
That  he  who  goes  is  lost ! 

How  far  may  we  go  on  in  sin  ? 

How  long  will  God  forbear  ? 
Where  does  hope  end,  and  where  begin 

The  confines  of  despair  ? 

An  answer  from  the  skies  is  sent : 
"  Ye  that  from  God  depart, 

While  it  is  called  to-da-y,  repent. 
And  harden  not  your  heart." 


RELIGION   MUST  ANDWILL   BE   CONSIDERED. 

Up  to  tliis  point,  we  have  proceeded  on  tlie 
assumption,  that  it  was  optional  with  you,  whether 
to  consider  the  subject  of  personal  religion  or  not. 
In  this  manner  the  Bible  treats  the  question.  It' 
addresses  us  throughout  as  intelligent  and  respon- 
sible agents,  and  leaves  us  to  decide  on  our  own 
course  after  listening  to  its  appeals  and  arguments. 
Your  own  consciousness  assures  you  that  you  can 
either  choose  or  reftise  to  take  up  the  plan  of  sal- 
vation, and  examine  it  with  a  paramount  reference 
to  your  own  duty.  God  does  not  compel  you  to 
examine  it.  He  commands,  expostulates,  invites 
and  points  out  the  consequences  involved  in  your 
disobedience.  But  He  uses  no  coercion.  You 
can  still  refuse.  You  often  have  refused.  Instead 
of  bringing  your  mind  into  contact  with  religion, 
when  its  claims  were  urged  upon  you,  you  have 


108  THE    GREAT    QUESTION. 

purposely  directed  it  to  sometliing  else.  You  liave 
chosen  ratlier  to  think  of  business  or  pleasure,  or 
of  any  one  of  an  endless  variety  of  objects.  It  has 
not  been  at  all  to  your  taste  to  think  about  repen- 
tance and  being  born  again,  and  renouncing  the 
world  and  taking  up  the  cross  to  follow  Christ. 
And  so  you  have  shut  these  topics  out  of  your 
breast  and  turned  to  more  engaging  themes.  And 
thus  far  you  have  seen  no  very  serious  evil  result- 
ing from  this  habit ;  for  a  habit  it  has  become. 
Your  inconsideration,  you  are  apt  to  imagine,  has 
not  materially  injured  either  your  character  or 
your  prospects,  and  you  are  slow  to  believe  there 
is  so  much  danger  attending  it  as  has  been  repre- 
sented. You  are  still  disinclined,  therefore,  (for 
this  is  the  case  we  are  now  to  deal  with,)  to  com- 
bat the  repugnance  you  feel  to  spiritual  religion 
and  to  commence  a  new  life. 

Now,  if  this  could  last,  there  would  be  less 
room  to  remonstrate.  You  might  be  allowed  to 
neglect  religion  just  as  long  as  your  antipathy  to 
it  continued.     I  do  not  say  that  this  would  be 


NO    OPTION.  109 

wise ;  mucli  less  that  it  would  involve  no  criminal- 
ity.    I  speak  only  of  safety.  .  But  it  is  of  tlie 
highest  moment  for  you  to  know  that  it  cannot 
last.     However  your  inconsideration  may  be   a 
matter  of  option  now,  it  will  not  he  so  always. 
There  is  a  period  coming,  and  it  may  he  just  at 
hand,  when  all  discretionary  control  of  this  sub- 
ject will  be  at  an  end,  and  you  will  be  compelled 
to  consider  it.     It  belongs  to  the  genius  of  the 
probationary  dispensation  under  which  we  live, 
that  no  one  should  be  forced  into  earnest  and  pro- 
longed'reflection  upon  the  themes  of  the  Bible. 
But  "  in  the  latter'  days  ye  shall  consider  it  per- 
fectly."    On  a  death-bed  it  may  be ;   certainly, 
after  death,  these  august  and  solemn  topics  will 
engross  your  thoughts.     They  will  gather  around 
you  then,  not  because  they  are  more  grateful  than 
you  find  them  now,  nor  because  they  are  pressed 
upon  you  by  more  faithful  and  eloquent  preachers. 
No  preacher's  voice  will  then  be  needed  to  awaken 
you  to  deep  and  anxious  meditation.     N'or  will 
transitory  impressions  any  more  be  obliterated, 
as  so  often  happens  with   you  here,  by  the  ro- 
ll 


110  THE    GREAT    QUESTION. 

turning  waves  of  frivolity  and  worldliness.  Alien 
as  conviction  of  siu  is  from  all  your  present  ten- 
dencies and  associations,  it  will  tlien  be  your  es- 
tablished condition.  From  never  tolerating,  much 
less  fostering  it,  you  will  never  be  free  from  it.  It 
will  be  your  one  dismal  and  terrible  occupation, 
the  very  sum  of  your  being,  to  dwell  with  sorrow 
and  remorse  upon  those  subjects,  which  all  the 
arguments  of  reason  and  Scripture,  fortified  by 
the  warnings  of  Providence  and  the  reproaches  of 
conscience,  cannot  prevail  upon  you  to  admit  into 
your  bosom  now. 

It  is  due  to  you  to  place  this  fact  distinctly 
before  you.  You  should  understand  that  when 
the  Scriptures  exhort  you  to  give  attention  to 
these  subjects,  and  when  the  ministers  of  Christ  en- 
force the  exhortation  with  whatever  skill  or  ten- 
derness they  can  command,  it  is  simply  a  question 
of  time  and  place.  It  is  as  certain  that  you  will 
be  brought  to  consider  them,  as  that  you  exist ; 
and  that,  whatever  your  creed  or  character  may 
be  now.     The  whole  solicitude  of  your  Christian 


THE    WORLD    WITHDRAWN.  Ill 

friends  in  urging  the  matter  upon  you  is,  that  you 
may  begin  this  work  of  consideration  at  once. 
They  knoiv  you  will  do  it  sooner  or  later.  And 
they  know  with  equal  certainty,  that  every  thing 
depends  upon  your  doing  it  now. 

If  you  ask  what  are  the  grounds  of  this  repre- 
sentation, the  answer  is  at  hand.  One  of  the  chief 
reasons  why  you  cannot  be  prevailed  upon  to 
apply  your  mind  to  the  subject  of  religion  is,  that 
you  are  engrossed  and  captivated  with  worldly 
objects.  At  the  period  referred  to,  this  temptation 
will  be  eifectually  removed.  For  "  the  heavens 
shall  pass  away  with  a  great  noise,  and  the  elements 
shall  melt  with  fervent  heat,  the  earth  also,  and  the 
works  that  are  therein  shall  be  burned  up."  This 
change  virtually  takes  places  with  every  individual 
at  his  death ;  for  his  relations  with  this  world  are 
then  terminated,  as  really  as  though  the  globe 
should  at  that  moment  be  destroyed.  How  fear- 
ful the  transition  must  be  to  an  unconverted  sin- 
ner, no  human  pen  may  attempt  to  describe.  But 
consider  what  is  involved  in  being  violently  torn 


112  THE    GREAT    QUESTION. 

away  from  all  the  scenes  and  pursuits  witli  which 
you  are  now  occupied.  When  the  claims  of 
Chi'istianity  are  pressed  upon  you,  you  turn  to 
your  business  and  your  amusements,  to  your 
household  cares,  to  your  books,  to  your  news- 
papers, to  public  events,  to  politics,  and  upon 
these  interests  you  lavish  the  attention  which  is 
properly  due  to  religion.  Imagine  yourself  to  be 
transported  to  some  spot  on  the  globe  where  none 
of  these  things  would  be  within  your  reach — no 
business,  no  recreation,  no  reading,  no  cognizance 
of  passing  events,  no  opportunity  for  the  exercise 
of  ambition,  of  avarice,  of  enterprise,  no  means  of 
personal  culture,  no  congenial  society ;  but  on  the 
contrary,  an  unavoidable  and  intimate  fellowship 
with  companions  scarcely  removed  from  demons 
in  character  and  behaviour.  Can  you  picture  to 
yourself  anything  more  horrible  than  this  ?  And 
yet  it  would  approximate  only  in  the  faintest 
degree,  to  the  actual  condition  upon  which  every 
unrenewed  person  enters  at  death.  For  the  instant 
the  soul  quits  the  body,  its  severance  from  all 
things  terrestial  is  complete  and  final.     There  is 


ALONE    WITH     GOD.  113 

not  even  left  the  spectacle  of  the  earth  itself  to 
look  upon ;  its  sands  and  its  seas,  its  herbage  and 
its  flowers,  its  forests  and  its  mountains,  all  will 
have  disappeared  forever.  How  impossible  will  it 
be  then  for  any  man  to  drive  away  religion  from 
his  thoughts  by  inviting  the  world  to  come  in  and 
pre-occupy  them.  The  world,  in  so  far  as  he  is 
concerned,  will  have  ceased  to  be.  And  unless 
he  has  some  other  resource,  for  aught  that  the 
world  can  do  for  him,  the  unwelcome  themes  of 
religion  will  have  undisputed  possession  of  his 
breast. 

This  however,  is  but  a  small  part  of  the  truth. 
Not  only  will  he  be  cut  off  from  all  access  to  this 
world ;  but  there  will  be  everything  in  his  situa- 
tion to  force  these  repulsive  topics  upon  his  atten- 
tion. Even  here  a  rich  man  feels  lost,  if  he  is 
stripped  of  his  wealth ;  and  a  scholar  when  de- 
prived of  his  books ;  and  a  merchant  when  obliged 
to  leave  his  business  for  a  season ;  and  a  mother 
when  separated  from  her  children ;  and  a  child 
when  removed  from  its  parents,  its  school,  or  its 
11* 


114  THE    GREAT    QUESTION. 

play.  But  there,  superadded  to  tliese  privations, 
tlien  become  absolute  and  immitigable,  tliere  will 
be  objects  and  associations  too  closely  linked  with 
eternal  realities,  for  the  soul  to  elude  or  resist 
their  influence.  The  rich  man  in  the  parable, 
was  taken  up  with  his  luxury  and  feasting  and 
self-indulgence,  until  death  snatched  him  away. 
Every  one  is  ready  to  ask,  what  ensued  after 
death.  In  this  single  instance,  our  Saviour  has 
lifted  the  curtain,  and  given  us  a  glimpse  of  a  lost 
soul  after  its  discharge  fi'om  the  body.  For 
although  it  is  a  parable,  we  cannot  suppose  that 
He  would  so  construct  it,  as  to  produce  an  im- 
pression upon  our  minds  contrary  to  the  truth. 
We  follow  this  unconverted  sinner,  then,  as  the 
immortal  spirit  hastens  away,  and  we  find  him 
presently  "in  hell,  being  in  torments,"  and  plead- 
ing with  Abraham  to  send  Lazarus,  that  he  may 
dip  the  tip  of  his  finger  in  water,  and  cool  his 
tongue — for  he  was  tormented  in  the  flame. 
(Luke,  Chapter  16th.)  We  have  no  reason  to 
doubt,  that  a  similar  doom,  of  which  this  may  be 
but  a  faint  and  imperfect  symbol,  is  experienced 


IN    ETERNITY.  115 

by  every  sinner  dying  in  impenitency.  And  if 
this  be  so,  you  may  judge  whether  it  will  be 
possible  for  one  in  these  circumstances,  to  avoid 
"considering"  the  serious  topics,  which  were  so 
constantly  repelled  during  this  life.  Will  he  be 
able  to  shut  out  the  thought  of  eternity  from  his 
mind,  now  that  he  finds  himself  in  eternity  ?  Can 
he  refuse  to  think  of  his  soul,  when  his  soul  is 
disengaged  from  its  clay  tabernacle,  and  still  pre- 
serves a  conscious  existence  ?  Can  he  say  in  his 
heart  "there  is  no  God,"  when  the  vengeance  of 
God  is  eating  up  his  spirits  ?  Can  he  treat  hell  as 
a  chimera,  when  his  ears  have  no  respite  from  its 
weeping  and  wailing  and  gnashing  of  teeth  ?  Can 
he  flatter  himself,  that  Christ  is  too  compassionate 
to  allow  a  sinner  like  him  to  perish,  when  the 
^^  wrath  of  the  Lamb,"  18  descending  all  around 
him,  as  "hailstones  and  coals  of  fire?"  Oh,  no, 
no !  There  will  be  no  alternative  left  to  you  then. 
You  will  be  compelled  to  think  of  religion.  You 
will  be  no  more  able  to  thrust  its  solemn  verities 
from  you,  than  to  compass  your  own  annihilation. 
So  far  from  being  allowed  only  an  occasional  and 


116  THE    GREAT    QUESTION. 

transient  hearing,  as  they  are  here,  they  will 
cleave  to  you  with  an  invincible  tenacity,  and  fill 
up  all  your  waking  and  your  sleeping  moments. 
Your  sleeping  moments,  did  I  say  ?  Alas,  there 
will  be  no  sleep  for  the  lost  soul.  That  is  a  night 
which  brings  no  repose ;  a  sorrow  which  knows 
no  respite.  Could  the  unhappy  sinner  cease  from 
thinking,  could  he  have  even  his  intervals  of  men- 
tal torpor  and  forgetfulness,  half  the  bitterness  of 
his  cup  were  gone.  But  this  cannot  be.  He  must 
think  on,  and  think  on,  and  think  on ;  and  forever 
think  of  the  subjects,  which  are  most  painful  to  him. 

These  subjects,  I  have  said,  are  the  great  themes 
of  religion,  which  are  so  often  pressed  upon  your 
attention,  and  to  so  little  purpose  now.  Of  course 
you  are  not  to  infer  from  this,  that  they  will  come 
up  before  the  mind  of  a  lost  sinner,  in  the  same 
aspect  as  they  do  here.  The  invisible  barrier 
which  separates  time  from  eternity,  makes  an 
infinite  difference  in  the  relations  which  we  sus- 
tain to  the  Christian  revelation  and  its  Divine 
Author.     So  long  as  we  are  in  this  world,  the 


MERCY    AND    JUDGMENT.  117 

Bible  addresses  us  in  accents  of  mercy.    The  veiy 

word  Gospel,  like  the  Greek  term  of  which  it  is 
the  translation,  means  glad  tidings.  It  is  God's 
proclamation  of  pardon.  It  is  a  display  of  his 
benevolence  and  pity,  which  has  filled  all  heaven 
with  adoring  wonder.  It  is  a  free  tender  of  for- 
giveness and  salvation,  to  the  very  chief  of  sin- 
ners. And  this  proffer  he  continues  to  urge  upon 
us,  down  to  the  very  moment  of  death,  by  motives 
drawn  from  his  own  perfections,  from  the  love  of 
Christ,  ft'om  the  necessities  of  our  own  souls, 
from  the  ruined  condition  of  the  world,  and 
from  many  other  sources.  But  here  he  stops. 
The  change  which  death  produces  in  the  outward 
condition  of  the  impenitent  sinner,  is  not  greater 
than  the  revolution  it  effects  in  his  relations  to 
the  system  of  redemption.  To  him,  it  ceases  to 
be  a  system  of  redemption.  There  is  no  offer  of 
pardon ;  no  call  to  repentance ;  no  striving  of  the 
Spirit.  The  Bible  and  the  Sabbath,  the  ministiy 
of  reconciliation,  and  even  the  throne  of  grace, 
disappear.  Instead  of  mercy,  there  is  judgment. 
For  pity,  there  is  vengeance.     For  "  come  unto 


118  THE    GREAT    QUESTION. 

ME,"  there  is  "  depart  ye  !"  For  the  fountain 
opened  for  sin  and  uncleanness,  there  is  the  lake 
which  hurneth  with  fire  and  brimstone.  All  the 
objects  which  crowd  upon  the  disembodied  spirit, 
breathe  of  retribution,  and  anguish,  and  despair. 
And  every  thing  around  and  within,  conspires  to 
fasten  the  thoughts,  as  by  an  inexorable  necessity, 
upon  that  cross,  which  has  now  ceased  to  be  a 
symbol  of  mercy ;  and  those  abused  privileges  and 
warnings,  which  come  back  with  their  scorpion 
stings  to  agonize  the  soul. 

If  it  be  disagreeable  to  you  to  think  of  religion 
here ;  if  you  have  a  conscious  antipathy  towards  it, 
when  it  is  robed  in  light  and  loveliness,  and  seeks 
you  out,  only  to  extricate  you  from  the  toils  of 
sin,  and  conduct  you  in  triumph  up  to  the  realms 
of  bliss,  how  will  you  bear  the  contemplation  of 
it,  when  it  stands  before  you,  arrayed  in  the 
terrors  of  vindicatory  justice  ?  K  you  cannot 
endure  its  offers  of  pardon  and  of  heaven,  how 
will  }■  ou  endure  it  when  it  forces  itself  upon  you, 
as  an  ever-present,  harrowing  memorial,  that  those 


BEFORE    THE    BAR.  119 

offers  are  withdrawn  forever  ?  If  it  is  irksome  to 
you  to  hear  of  Christ  as  a  Saviour,  what  would 
you  not  give  to  have  the  rocks  and  the  mountains 
fall  on  you  and  cover  you,  when  the  archangel's 
trump  summons  you  to  appear  before  him,  as  a 
Judge ! 

It  would,  perhaps,  be  some  slight  allevia- 
tion of  the  anguish  of  that  day,  were  the  whole 
race  to  encounter  a  common  doom.  So  it  will 
certainly  aggravate  the  misery  of  the  lost,  to  re- 
flect, that  to  a  portion  of  the  race,  this  is  a  day  of 
joy  and  triumph. 

<(*  *  *  *  On  the  right  hand  of  bliss, 
Sublime  in  glory,  talking  with  their  peers 
Of  the  incarnate  Saviour's  love," 

they  will  see  a  multitude  which  no  man  can 
number,  who  once  dwelt  with  them  in  this  vale 
of  tears.  Among  them  may  be  some  whom 
they  had  known  as  neighbors,  friends,  fellow- 
worshippers, — who  sat  side  by  side  with  them 
in  the  Sanctuary,  listened  to  the  same  sermons, 
sang  the  same  hymns  of  praise,  and  united,  out- 


120  THE    GREAT    QUESTION. 

wardly  at  least,  in  tlie  same  prayers.  'Naj  tliere 
may  be  those  who  were  bound  to  them  by  much 
more  endearing  ties, — a  wife,  a  parent,  a  child,  a 
sister,  a  household  group,  who  used  to  sit  around 
the  same  table,  and  with  whose  lives,  theirs  were 
interlaced  like  the  reticulations  of  the  vine,  which 
spread  its  drapery  over  their  family  mansion. 
These  are  saved,  and  thei/  are  lost!  They  jour- 
neyed through  life  together,  and  at  its  close,  they 
parted  never  to  meet,  except  as  they  meet  now, 
one  on  the  right  hand  of  Christ,  the  other  on  his 
left ;  one  never  to  weep,  the  other  never  to  smile 
again.  How  inevitable  and  how  poignant  the 
conviction,  that  but  for  their  own  obduracy  in 
refusing  to  come  to  Christ,  they  too  might  have 
been  among  that  radiant  company ! 

It  will  indeed,  be  an  overwhelming  reflection, 
that  they  were  fully  instructed  in  their  duty,  and 
admonished  of  the  consequences  of  neglecting  it. 
Life  and  death  were  set  before  them.  They  knew 
that  unless  they  were  born  of  the  Spirit,  they 
could  not  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God ;  that 


REPENTANCE    OR    PERDITION.  121 

except  tliej  repented,  they  must  perish ;  that  if 
they  refused  to  believe  in  Christ,  they  must  be 
damned.*  All  this  was  distinctly  presented  to 
them.  With  many  of  them,  it  was  instilled  into 
their  infant  minds,  and  reiterated  by  pious 
parents,  and  proclaimed  in  their  hearing  by  the 
ministers  of  the  Gospel,  through  the  whole  course 
of  their  lives.  And  if  the  consciousness  that  he 
once  had  "Moses  and  the  prophets,"  augmented 
the  suffering  of  the  rich  man  in  hell,  what  pangs 
of  sorrow  must  they  experience,  who  had  not 
only  Moses  and  the  prophets,  but  Christ  and  the 
apostles. 


"  Ye  knew  your  duty,  hut  ye  did  it  not! 
These  are  the  words  to  which  the  harps  of  grief 
Are  strung  ;  and  to  the  chorus  of  the  damned, 
The  rocks  of  hell  repeat  them,  evermore ; 
Loud  echoed  through  the  caverns  of  despair, 
And  poured  in  thunder  on  the  ear  of  "Wo." 


There  can  be  little  hazard  in  saying  to  the 
reader  of  this  treatise,  that  he  knows  his  duty. 
It  is  not  a  thing  of  yesterday  with  you,  that  you 

*  John  iii.  5.    Luke  xiii.  3.    Mark  xvi.  16. 

12 


122  THE    GREAT    QUESTION. 

have  had  access  to  the  Bible,  or  that  you  have 
heard  the  preaching  of  the  GospeL  It  has  proba- 
bly been  your  high  privilege  to  grow  up  in  the 
midst  of  religious  influences,  eminently  adapted 
to  direct  your  thoughts  and  efforts  heavenward. 
So  far  from  not  being  instructed  in  the  essential 
doctrines  and  duties  of  Christianity,  these  may 
have  been  so  vividly  impressed  upon  your  mind, 
that  it  has  more  than  once  cost  you  a  struggle  to 
stifle  your  convictions,  and  persist  in  your  devo- 
tion to  the  world.  Should  you  finally  perish, 
(which  may  a  merciful  God  prevent!)  this  fact 
cannot  fail  to  impart  new  energy  to  every  other 
element  of  your  misery.  It  were  in  that  case  an 
unspeakable  mitigation,  could  you  be  allowed  to 
take  your  place  at  Christ's  bar,  with  the  people  of 
Sodom  and  Gomorrah,  with  the  besotted  Hindoos, 
or  with  the  ferocious  cannibals  of  the  South  Seas. 
These  must  suffer ;  for  they  abused  the  light  of 
nature.  But  nature  is  to  the  written  revelation, 
like  a  twinkling  star  to  the  sun  ;  and  all  who  per- 
vert or  neglect  the  Scriptures,  must  look  for  a 
corresponding    retribution.      There   will    be    no 


REMEMBER.  123 

wi'etcliedness  there,  comparable  to  that  of  those 
who  persevered  through  life,  in  counting  the 
blood  of  the  covenant  an  unholy  thing,  and  doing 
despite  to  the  Spirit  of  grace. 

In  the  parable  already  mentioned,  Abraham 
begins  his  reply  to  the  lost  sinner  with  a  word  of 
most  pregnant  signification.  "Son,  remember!" 
"What  unfathomable  depths  of  sorrow  are  em- 
bosomed in  this  word !  In  this  life  you  find  it 
convenient,  and  therefore  easy,  to  forget  much 
that  pertains  to  your  spiritual  well-being.  You 
forget  the  pious  lessons  of  the  nursery.  You  for- 
get the  beneficent  invitations  of  the  Saviour.  You 
forget  the  urgent  expostulations  of  the  sanctuary. 
You  forget  the  serious  mediations  of  the  house  of 
mourning.  You  forget  the  self-reproaches,  and 
anxious  prayers,  and  sacred  promises  of  the  bed 
of  sickness.  You  forget  the  purposes  of  amend- 
ment so  often  formed,  and  the  strivings  of  the 
Spirit  so  often  resisted.  But  memory  will  be 
more  faithful  to  its  trust  in  that  world.  There 
are  numerous  facts  which  favor  the  belief,  that 


124  THE    GREAT    QUESTION. 

notliing  once  confided  to  this  mysterious  faculty 
is  ever  lost.  Instances  liave  occurred  of  persons 
who  have  been  able  to  recite  long  passages  of  the 
ancient  classics,  many  years  after  they  had  lost  all 
knowledge  of  the  language,  and  of  others  who 
could  commit  to  memory  poems  of  great  length 
in  a  language  they  never  learned.  There  is  a 
well-known  case  of  a  female  servant,  who  in  a  fit 
of  delirium  during  sickness,  was  heard  uttering 
Hebrew  words  and  sentences;  a  mai-vel  which 
was  explained,  when  an  inquiry  into  her  history 
brought  out  the  fact,  that  she  had  once  lived  in 
the  family  of  a  learned  German  divine  whom  she 
had  heard  reading  and  talking  in  Hebrew,  as  she 
was  at  work  in  his  library.  And  several  persons 
rescued  from  drowning  have  testified,  that  while 
struggling  under  the  water,  their  past  lives  have 
come  up  before  them  with  a  vividness  and  min- 
uteness of  detail,  which  they  could  only  describe 
by  saying,  "It  seemed  as  though  I  thought  of 
everything  I  had  ever  said  and  done,  or  that  had 
ever  happened  to  me."  These  are  fearful  intima- 
tions as  to  the  constitution  of  our  being.     They 


AN  APPALLING  RETROSPECT.     125 

give  plausibility  to  the  conjecture,  that  the  memory 
is  like  a  book  written  over  with  sympathetic  ink, 
which  appears  a  blank  until  exposed  to  the  fire, 
and  then  every  I3age  is  seen  covered  with  penman- 
ship. "Wliatever  vacuity  may  possess  the  mind  of 
the  unrenewed  sinner  when  summoned  before  the 
bar  of  judgment,  it  is  only  necessary  for  the  Judge 
to  touch  the  secret  spring  of  his  memory,  and  his 
buried  thoughts  will  start  into  being,  '-like  the 
insects  that  come  from  an  ant-hill  when  it  is 
stirred."  And  can  we  doubt  that  God  will  do 
this  ?  Is  it  not  implied  in  the  statement,  that  He 
"  shall  bring  every  work  into  judgment,  with 
every  secret  thing,  whether  it  be  good  or  whether 
it  be  evil?"  And  are  we  not  warranted  in  be- 
lieving, that  this  transcript  of  the  sinner's  life,  so 
comprehensive  and  so  graphic,  as  to  reveal  even 
his  most  secret  thoughts,  will  not  merely  be  spread 
before  him  at  the  last  day,  but  hept  before  him  by 
a  too  faithful  memory  throughout  eternity  ?  For 
myself,  I  cannot,  and  do  not  doubt  it. 

And  if  it  shall  prove  to  be  so,  with  how  much 
12* 


126  THE    GREAT    QUESTION. 

reason  may  we  contend,  that  those  who  refused 
to  consider  the  subject  of  religion  here,  will  he 
compelled  to  fasten  their  thoughts  upon  these  un- 
welcome topics  hereafter ;  and,  most  of  all,  upon 
the  gracious  dealings  of  God  with  them,  and  their 
base  requital  of  his  kindness.  The  life  you  have 
lived  here,  must  be  lived  over  and  over  again 
there.  This  religious  education,  these  parental 
counsels  and  prayers,  these  providential  warnings, 
these  tranquil  Sabbaths,  these  convictions  of  sin, 
these  anxious  forebodings  about  eternity,  these 
resolutions  of  repentance,  these  secret  cries  for 
mercy,  this  shame  of  the  cross,  this  fear  of  the 
world,  these  relapses  into  sin — all,  all  will  recur 
hereafter,  and  continue  to  pass  and  repass  before 
the  mind,  so  long  as  the  mind  itself  endures. 
You  will  think  of  God;  but  it  will  be  as  the 
Psalmist  thought  of  Him,  "I  remembered  God 
and  was  troubled."  You  will  think  of  the  Bible; 
but  it  will  be  as  of  a  book  which  is  now  sealed 
against  you.  You  will  think  of  the  Saviour ;  but 
it  will  be  only  to  look  on  him  whom  you  pierced, 
and  whose  blood  now  imprecates  vengeance  upon 


REMORSE.  127 

you.  You  will  think  of  lieaven ;  but  it  will  be 
with  the  sad  conviction  that  it  was  once  within 
your  reach,  and  is  now  separated  from  you  by  an 
impassable  gulf.  You  will  think  of  your  Sab- 
baths ;  but  it  will  be  to  reflect  that  they  are  gone 
forever.  You  will  think  of  }■  our  seasons  of  religi- 
ous anxiety;  but  it  will  be  to  remember,  that 
when  you  were  "  almost  persuaded  to  be  a  Chris- 
tian," you  dismissed  the  subject  from  your  breast, 
and  threw  yourself  again  into  the  arms  of  an  un- 
godly world. 

"Wretch  that  I  am!"  you  may  well  exclaim, 
"  what  shall  I  do  or  whither  shall  I  flee  ?  I  am 
weighed  in  the  balance  and  am  found  wanting. 
0,  that  I  had  never  been  instructed  in  the  will  of 
God  at  all,  rather  than  that,  being  thus  instructed, 
I  should  have  disregarded  and  transgressed  it. 
"Would  to  God  I  had  been  allied  to  the  meanest  of 
the  human  race,  to  them  that  come  nearest  to  the 
state  of  the  brutes,  rather  than  that  I  should  have 
had  my  lot  in  cultivated  life,  amidst  so  many  of 
the  improvements  of  reason,  and  amidst  so  many 


128  THE    GREAT    QUESTION. 

of  the  advantages  of  religion  too !  and  thus  to 
have  perverted  all  to  my  destruction.  Who  can 
dwell  in  the  devouring  flames?  Who  can  lie 
down  in  the  everlasting  burnings  ?  But  whom  have 
I  to  blame  in  all  this  but  myself?  What  have  I 
to  accuse  but  my  own  stupid  and  incorrigible  folly  ? 
On  what  is  all  this  terrible  ruin  to  be  charged,  but 
on  this  one  fatal  cause,  that  having  broken  God's 
law,  I  rejected  his  Gospel  too?  And  now  my 
doom  is  sealed,  and  sealed  forever."* 

Would  that  I  could  spare  you  such  a  recital  as 
this.  It  is  not  of  choice,  but  of  necessity  that  I 
present  it.  I  shrink  from  this  topic,  the  misery 
of  a  lost  soul,  with  a  repugnance  which  is  well 
nigh  invincible.  There  is  no  theme  so  repulsive, 
so  appalling  to  me ;  none  that  I  so  much  dread  to 
speak  of.  We  are  all  liable  to  contract  a  subtle 
unbelief  on  this  subject,  which  derives  shelter  and 
nourishment  from  our  benevolent  sympathies. 
There  is  something  so  horrible,  so  heart-rending 
in  the  thought,  that  one  whom  we  have  known 
*  Vide  Doddridge's  Rise  and  Progress. 


MISTAKEN    TENDERNESS.  129 

and  loved,  may  pass  out  of  this  world  into  tlie 
abodes  of  tlie  damned,  and  become  the  companion 
of  tbe  devil  and  bis  angels  for  all  eternity,  that 
we  believe  it  as  tboiigb  we  believed  it  not.  We 
drive  it  away  from  us.  We  treat  it  as  a  pbantom 
which  must  not  be  allowed  to  disturb  our  peace. 
But  is  this  right  ?  Is  it  wise  ?  Is  it  becoming  ? 
Shall  we  aspire  to  be  more  merciful  than  the  God 
of  mercy  ?  Are  we  to  challenge  to  ourselves  more 
tenderness  than  the  Saviour  ?  And  did  Me  avoid 
this  subject?  Did  Se  refrain  from  speaking  of 
"  the  worm  that  never  dies  and  the  fire  that  shall 
never  be  quenched?"  It  is  the  awful  sanctity 
and  the  ineffable  gentleness  of  his  character, 
which  impart  to  his  utterances  on  this  topic  so 
sublime  a  pathos,  so  unearthly  a  solemnity.  'So 
mistaken  lenity  kept  Him  from  proclaiming  that 
there  was  a  hell.  'Sov  did  he  ever  suppress  the 
declaration,  that  it  is  the  broad  road,  in  which  the 
mass  of  the  race  are  walking,  that  leads  to  it. 
These  truths  concern  us  as  deeply  as  they  could 
the  generation  among  whom  he  lived.  And  woe 
be   to   us  if  we  deny  or  dissemble  them.     Yes, 


130  THE    GREAT    QUESTION. 

there  is  a  hell.     And  every  one  who  is  neglecting 
the  great  salvation,  is  in  immiment  peril  of  it. 

And  now,  the  momentous  alternative  submitted 
to  the  reader  is.  Will  you  consider  the  subject  of 
religion  here,  or  will  you  consider  it  in  eternity  ? 
One  or  the  other  you  must  do.  You  can  no  more 
elude  it  than  you  can  cease  to  be.  If  you  decline 
the  examination  of  the  subject  here,  "in  the  latter 
days  you  shall  consider  it  perfectly."  Judge  for 
yourself,  whether  it  will  not  be  better,  infinitely 
better,  to  give  your  attention  to  it  now.  In  this 
world,  religion  contemplates  you  as  a  sinner  ruin- 
ed and  condemned,  but  reprieved.  It  proposes 
itself  to  you  as  a  system  of  mercy.  It  comes  with 
the  blood  of  atonement  and  the  ministry  of  the 
Spirit,  with  pardon,  and  renewal,  and  holiness,  and 
peace.  It  breathes  of  penitence  and  love,  of  hope 
and  triumph,  of  a  reconciled  God  and  a  glorious 
heaven.  It  finds  you  in  circumstances  in  which 
you  can  comply  with  its  demands,  not  only  with- 
out compromising  any  of  your  interests,  spiritual 
or  secular,  but  with  decided  advantage  to  them 


FOR    EVER     AND     EVER.  131 

all.  It  supplies  you  with  every  needful  help — 
with  a  very  profusion  of  the  means  of  grace.  It 
holds  out  to  you  encouragements  and  inducements 
to  the  performance  of  your  duty,  of  the  most  en- 
gaging character.  And  it  crowns  all  its  appeals 
with  a  distinct  and  monitory  exhibition  of  the 
fearful  consequences  which  must  attend  your 
refusal. 

N^ow  contrast  with  this,  the  situation  in  which 
you  will  be  compelled  to  consider  the  subject,  if  it 
is  neglected  here.  'Eo  longer  in  a  world  of  pro- 
bation, but  in  a  world  of  retribution — the  light  of 
the  sun  of  righteousness,  which  is  streaming  down 
upon  your  pathway  now,  exchanged  for  the  black- 
ness of  darkness — all  your  domestic  ties  and  social 
affinities  dissolved — all  the  plans  and  occupations 
which  now  engross  you  annihilated — religion  pre- 
sented to  you  only  in  its  terrors — the  Saviour 
known  only  in  the  dreadful  anathema  denounced 
against  those  who  do  not  love  him — the  Spirit 
known  only  with  the  anguish  of  the  sinner  who 
has  sinned  away  his  day  of  grace, — ^with  no  Bible 


132  THE    GREAT    QUESTION. 

to  repair  to  for  counsel — no  friend  to  fly  to  for 
Bjmpatliy — no  God  to  whom  you  can  cry  for  mer- 
cy— no  employments  wliicli  can  mitigate  your  de- 
solation— no  companions  but  such  as  will  increase 
your  wretchedness, — all  possible  forms  and  appli- 
ances of  misery  around  you ;  and,  within,  the  gnaw- 
ings  of  the  undying  worm, — no  respite,  no  peace, 
no  hope — the  remorse  which  knows  no  cessation — 
the  despair  which  knows  no  ebb  !  And  all  this,  for 
ever — -fo7-  ever — for  ever  and  ever  !  Oh,  my 
fellow-sinner,  can  you  do  this  ?  Can  you  postpone 
all  serious  reflection  to  such  a  world  ?  Can  you 
pluck  down  upon  yourself  a  ruin  so  awful,  so  irre- 
trievable? Say  not  that  this  is  an  exaggerated 
picture,  adapted  only  to  harrow  up  the  feelings. 
What  pencil  can  depict  the  agonies  of  a  lost  soul  ? 
If  you  cannot  bear  to  look  upon  the  canvas,  how 
could  you  endure  the  reality  ?  And  why  will  you 
run  the  hazard  of  it,  by  postponing  your  repent- 
ance ?  "  He  that  being  often  reproved,  hardeneth 
his  neck,  shall  suddenly  be  destroyed,  and  that 
without  remedy."  Through  the  mercy  of  God 
this  doom,  which  so  many  others  have  encoun- 


BELIEVE    AND    LIVE.  133 

tered,  lias  not  yet  overtaken  yow.  Yon  are  still 
within  sight  of  the  cross.  And  the  Savionr  still 
bids  yon  look  to  Him  and  live. 


"  Believe,  and  take  the  promised  rest ; 
Obey, — and  be  for  ever  blest !" 


13 


WHAT    CAN    I    DO? 

I  am  willing  to  believe,  tliat  among  the  readers 
of  tMs  book,  there  may  be,  here  and  there,  one, 
upon  whom  the  arguments  and  appeals  presented 
in  the  preceding  pages,  will  not  have  been  thrown 
away.  You  are  at  length  satisfied,  that  it  is  your 
duty  to  attend  to  the  claims  of  personal  religion. 
But  the  subject  is  so  new  and  strange  to  you,  that 
you  know  not  how  to  go  about  it.  "I  would  like 
to  become  a  Christian.  But  what  can  I  do  ?  Tell 
me  just  what  to  do,  and  I  am  ready  to  follow  your 
directions."  This  is  your  language.  If  it  is 
uttered  in  good  faith,  (as  I,  of  course,  presume  it 
to  be,)  it  is  cause  for  thankfulness.  It  is  a  great 
point  gained,  when  an  individual  has  been 
brought  by  the  Spirit  of  God  to  that  state  of 
mind,  that  he  is  disposed  to  ask,  "  What  must  I 
do  to  be  saved?" 


136  THE    GREAT    QUESTION. 

The  answer  to  tliis  momentous  question  has 
been  interwoven  witli  tlie  whole  texture  of  this 
volume,  and  in  several  places,  stated  in  a  formal 
way.  But  your  desire  for  a  more  particular  ex- 
planation of  the  subject,  is  reasonable,  and  shall 
be  complied  with,  so  far  as  God  may  enable  me 
to  meet  your  wishes. 

Let  us  first  review  the  plan  of  salvation.  This 
very  phrase,  as  you  will  perceive,  directs  the 
mind  to  our  lost  condition ;  for  he  only  who  is 
lost,  requires  to  be  saved.  The  ruin  in  which  we 
were  ovei'whelmed  by  the  apostacy  of  our  first 
parents,  comprises  two  distinct  but  inseparable 
parts  or  elements ;  depravity  of  heart,  and  sub- 
jection to  the  penalty  of  the  Divine  law.  The 
former  is  set  forth  in  such  passages  as  these. 
"  That  which  is  born  of  the  flesh,  is  flesh."  "By 
nature,  the  children  of  wrath."  "  Every  imagina- 
tion of  the  thought  of  man's  heart,  is  only  evil 
continually."  "All  have  sinned  and  come  short 
of  the  glory  of  God."  "The  carnal  mind  is 
enmity  against  God."     "  The  heart  is  deceitful 


DEPRAVITY.  187 

above  all  things,  and  desperately  wicked."*  The 
other  characteristic  of  our  ruined  state,  is  affirmed 
with  equal  explicitness.  "The  wages  of  sin  is 
death."  "The  wrath  of  God  is  revealed  from 
heaven,  against  all  ungodliness  and  unrighteous- 
ness of  men."  "  Cursed  is  every  one  that  contin- 
ueth  not  in  all  things,  which  are  written  in  the 
book  of  the  law  to  do  them."  "The  soul  that 
sinneth,  it  shall  die."t  A  reference  Bible  will 
direct  you  to  numerous  other  passages,  bearing 
on  each  of  these  points.  The  doctrine  they  teach 
is,  that  man  is  by  nature  and  by  practice,  a  guilty 
and  helpless  sinner.  His  depravity  extends  to  all 
his  powers ;  his  understanding  is  darkened,  his 
affections  are  earthly  and  groveling,  his  will  is 
rebellious,  his  conscience  is  enfeebled  or  pervert- 
ed, and  the  whole  current  of  his  being,  instead  of 
tending  towards  his  Creator,  is  alien  from  God, 
and  hostile  to  his  character  and  government.  Of 
course,  he  is  under  condemnation.     The  sentence 

*  John  iii.  6.    Eph.  ii.  3.    Gen.  vi.  5.    Rom.  iii.  23  ;  viiL  7. 
Jer.  xvii.  9. 

t  Rom.  vi.  23 ;  i.  18.     Gal.  iii.  10.     Ezek.  xviii.  4. 

13* 


138  THE    GREAT    QUESTION. 

of  tlie  law  has  gone  out  against  liim,  and  retribu- 
tive justice  waits  to  visit  him  with  its  penal  curse. 

It  is  evident  (as  formerly  intimated,)  that  the 
only  salvation,  which  can  meet  the  exigencies  of 
a  race  in  this  condition,  must  be  of  the  twofold 
character  of  the  miseiy  from  which  they  are  to  be 
extricated.  To  employ  a  familiar  illustration, 
the  sinner  is  in  the  condition  of  a  criminal,  who, 
while  under  sentence  of  death,  is  attacked  with  a 
mortal  disease.  There  are  two  things  which  a 
man  in  these  circumstances  needs,  neither  of 
which  will  avail  him  anything  without  the  other. 
He  may  receive  a  pardon,  but  he  will  still  die  of 
his  malady.  He  may  be  healed  of  his  malady, 
but  he  will  have  to  suifer  for  his  crime.  He  must 
be  both  healed  and  pardoned,  or  his  life  is  gone. 
So  with  the  sinner.  He  requires  to  be  forgiven, 
and  to  be  cured  of  the  fatal  leprosy  of  sin.  For- 
giveness alone  would  not  fit  him  for  heaven. 
Neither  would  spiritual  healing.  The  two  must 
be  combined.  And  in  the  economy  of  redemption 
they  are  combined.     One  of  them  is  secured  in 


THE    REMEDY.  139 

the  renewing  of  the  heart  by  the  Holy  Spirit ;  the 
other,  by  the  soul's  casting  itself  upon  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  to  be  pardoned  and  accepted,  solely 
through  the  merit  of  his  atoning  blood  and  per- 
fect righteousness. 

These  themes  are  the  burden  of  the  ISTew 
Testament.  "Except  a  man  be  born  again,  he 
cannot  see  the  kingdom  of  God."  "  Of  his  own 
will  begat  he  us  with  the  word  of  truth."  "K 
any  man  be  in  Christ,  he  is  a  new  creature ;  old 
things  are  passed  away;  behold,  all  things  are 
become  new."  "  Except  ye  repent,  ye  shall  all 
likewise  perish."  "  God  so  loved  the  world  that 
he  gave  his  only  begotten  Son,  that  whosoever 
believeth  in  him  should  not  perish,  but  have 
everlasting  life."  "  Christ  is  the  end  of  the  law 
for  righteousness,  to  every  one  that  believeth." 
"  Him  that  cometh  unto  me,  I  will  in  no  wise 
cast  out."  "For  he  hath  made  Him  to  be  sin  for 
us  who  knew  no  sin,  that  we  might  be  made  the 
righteousness  of  God  in  Him."  "Even  the  right- 
eousness of  God,  which  is  by  faith  of  Jesus  Christ 


140  THE     GREAT    QUESTION. 

unto  all,  and  upon  all  them  that  believe,  for 
there  is  no  diiOferenSe."  "He  that  believeth  on 
Him,  is  not  condemned;  but  he  that  believeth 
not,  is  condemned  already,  because  he  hath  not 
believed  in  the  name  of  the  only  begotten  Son  of 
God."  "Holiness,  without  which  no  man  shall 
see  the  Lord."* 

In  these  and  other  passages,  it  is  sometimes 
regeneration,  sometimes  justification,  and  again, 
faith,  or  repentance,  or  holiness,  which  is  declared 
to  be  indispensable  to  salvation.  All  are  alike 
necessary ;  and  are  equally  included  or  implied  in 
the  work  of  the  Spirit  within  us,  and  the  work  of 
the  Saviour  without  us.  In  the  statement  just 
made,  I  have  substituted  the  word  "justification" 
for  "pardon"  or  "forgiveness,"  previously  used. 
The  reason  is,  that  man  needs  more  than  pardon ; 
he  must  be  "justified."  "When  a  convict  is  par- 
doned, he  is  simply  set  free  from  the  penalty  of 

*  John  iii.  3.  James  i.  18.  2  Cor.  v.  17.  Luke  xiii.  3. 
John  iii.  16.  Rom.  x.  4.  John  vi.  37.  2  Cor.  v.  21.  Rom. 
iii.  22.     John  iii.  18.     Heh.  xii.  14. 


THE    MEDIATOR.  141 

the  law.  If  his  sovereign  should  also  invite  him 
to  his  palace,  adopt  him  as  a  son,  exalt  him  to  the 
highest  honors  of  the  realm,  and  make  over  to 
him  a  title  in  perpetuity  to  his  kingdom,  it  would 
supply  an  illustration  of  what  God  is  pleased  in 
his  infinite  mercy,  to  do  for  every  penitent  and 
believing  sinner ;  and  of  what,  it  may  be  added, 
must  be  done  in  order  to  his  salvation. 

But  you  will  ask,  with  anxiety.  How  is  this  ef- 
fected ?  I  answer.  Through  the  mediation  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ.  As  is  clearly  set  forth  in  the 
Scripture  testimonies  that  have  been  quoted,  our 
condition  by  nature  was  quite  hopeless.  In  so  far 
as  any  resources  of  our  own,  or  of  other  races  of 
creatures,  were  concerned,  we  must  have  remained 
forever  under  the  power  of  that  penal  death  which 
is  the  righteous  penalty  of  the  Divine  law.  But 
"where  sin  abounded,  grace  hath  much  more 
abounded."  God  was  pleased,  of  his  mere  good 
pleasure,  to  send  his  only-begotten  Son  into  the 
world,  that  we  might  live  through  him.  Uniting 
our  nature  with  his  own,  Jesus  stooped  to  become 


142  THE    GREAT    QUESTION. 

our  Substitute,  and  to  exx^iate  our  sins  with  his 
blood.  Assuming  our  law-place,  lie  rendered  to 
tlie  law  that  obedience  which  we  had  failed  to 
render,  and  bore  that  penalty  which  we  had  in- 
curred. It  was  a  fundamental  principle  of  the 
Divine  administration,  that  "  without  shedding  of 
blood,  there  could  be  no  remission."  The  shedding 
of  Christ's  blood,  not  only  sustained  but  "  mag- 
nified" the  law ;  while  it  illustrated,  beyond  any 
other  measure  of  which  it  is  possible  for  the  hu- 
man mind  to  conceive,  the  dreadful  evil  of  sin, 
and  the  boundless  love,  the  inflexible  justice,  and 
the  immaculate  holiness  of  the  Deity.  It  was  as 
our  Surety  he  suffered  and  died.  "  He  bore  our 
sins  in  his  own  body  on  the  tree."  "  Wliile  we 
were  yet  sinners,  Christ  died  for  us."  "Ye  are 
redeemed  with  the  precious  blood  of  Christ." 
"  Christ  hath  redeemed  us  from  the  curse  of  the 
law,  being  made  a  curse  for  us." 

On  the  efficacy  of  this  sacrifice  there  can  be  no 
question.  It  was  appointed  and  accepted  by  the 
Father ;  and  the  least  consideration  of  the  subject 


FAITH.  143 

must  suffice  to  show,  that  tlie  blood  of  such  a 
victim  has  a  vakie  sufficient  to  atone  for  the  sins 
of  unnumbered  worlds,  if  it  were  the  purpose  of 
God  so  to  apply  it. 

Here,  then,  is  what  eveiy  sinner  needs, — what 
you  need, — a  sacrifice  which  takes  away  sin,  and  a 
righteousness  which  fulfils  all  the  requirements  of 
the  Divine  jurisprudence.  How  can  they  so  be- 
come your  8  as  to  avail  to  your  justification  ?  The 
answer  which  the  Scriptures  give  to  this  impor- 
tant question,  is — by  faith.  "He  that  helieveth 
on  the  Son  hath  everlasting  life  ;  he  that  helieveth 
not  the  Son,  shall  not  see  life,  but  the  wrath  of 
God  abideth  on  him."  "  God  is  just,  and  the  jus- 
tifier  of  him  that  helievetli  in  Jesus."  "  This  is 
his  commandment,  that  we  should  believe  on  his 
Son  Jesus  Christ."  This  act  is  in  other  places 
styled,  a  looking  to  Christ,  receiving  Christ,  build- 
ing on  Christ,  and,  more  commonly,  coming  to 
Christ.  For  all  practical  purposes,  these  expres- 
sions may  be  regarded  as  equivalent  and  inter- 
changeable.    The  sinner  enlightened  by  the  Spi- 


144  THE   GREAT    QUESTION. 

rit  and  word  of  God,  is  made  sensible  of  his 
depraved  and  miserable  condition,  of  bis  exposure 
to  tbe  Divine  displeasure,  and  of  the  wortbless- 
ness  of  bis  former  bopes ;  and  discovering  at  tbe 
same  time  tbe  excellency  and  sufficiency  of  Christ, 
be  receives  and  rests  upon  Him  alone  for  salva- 
tion. In  otber  words,  be  believes  tbe  testimony  of 
God  concerning  bis  own  sin  and  ruin.  He  believes 
His  testimony  concerning  Jesus  Cbrist,  as  tbe 
propitiation  for  our  sins,  our  Eansom,  and  our 
suffering  and  atoning  Higb  Priest.  He  believes  tbe 
gracious  assurance,  tbat  God  will  save  to  tbe  ut- 
termost all  wbo  come  unto  Him  by  Jesus  Cbrist ; 
tbat  none  wbo  come  sball  in  any  wise  be  cast  out ; 
tbat  "  every  one  wbo  tbirstetb,"  yea,  tbat  "who- 
soever will,"  even  tbougb  be  be  tbe  cbief  of  sin- 
ners, may  come  to  Cbrist  and  sball  be  made  wel- 
come. Tbis  be  believes; — not,  indeed,  without 
much  distrust,  and  many  a  conflict ;  and  not,  or- 
dinarily, without  having  tried  various  fruitless 
expedients  for  obtaining  peace  of  mind.  But,  in 
the  end,  he  believes  it ;  and  thereupon,  with  con- 
trition for  his  sins  and  gratitude  for  the  boundless 


CHRIST    OUR    RIGHTEOUSNESS.  145 

mercy  of  God,  lie  accepts  God's  method  of  salva- 
tion, and  trusts  in  the  merits  of  Christ  as  the  foun- 
dation of  his  hope.  Relying  npon  the  righteous- 
ness of  Christ  for  acceptance,  that  righteousness 
is  made  over  to  him  or  set  down  to  his  account — 
precisely  as  our  sins  were  laid  upon  the  Saviour. 
As  our  Substitute,  he  consented  to  be  "  made  sin 
for  us,"  that  is,  to  have  our  sins  visited  upon  him, 
and  to  be  regarded  and  treated  as  a  sinner  in  our 
stead.  And  his  compassionate  design  in  this,  was, 
that  "  we  might  be  made  the  righteousness  of  God 
in  Him ;"  to  wit :  that  his  righteousness  (his  "  obe- 
dience unto  death,"  whereby  he  fully  satisfied  the 
claims  of  the  law)  might  be  so  reckoned  to  our 
account,  that  we  should  be  regarded  and  treated 
as  righteous;  or,  in  other  words,  be  "justified." 
It  is  this  closing  in  with  the  Gospel  method  of 
salvation,  this  cordial  assent  of  the  soul  to  Christ's 
invitations,  this  entire  surrender  of  the  heart  to 
him,  not  only  as  a  Saviour  to  be  trusted  in,  but 
as  a  King  and  Sovereign,  to  be  obeyed  and  ho- 
nored, which  constitutes  true  faith.  And  if  i/ou 
thus  believe  in  Christ  you  will  be  saved. 
14 


146  THE    GREAT    QUESTION. 

"But  what,"  yon  may  be  ready  to  ask,  "be- 
comes of  regeneration  and  repentance?  Are  not 
these  also  essential  to  salvation?"  They  are.  But 
will  you  recur  to  the  views  presented  in  a  former 
part  of  this  treatise,  on  the  nature  of  the  Spirit's 
work  upon  the  heart  ?  This  Divine  agent,  we 
have  reason  to  believe,  not  only  presents  the  truth 
to  the  mind,  but,  in  some  mysterious  manner,  ope- 
rates directly  upon  the  mind,  so  as  to  enable  it  to 
apprehend  \hQ,  truth  in  its  just  import.  He  imparts 
with  the  light,  the  capacity  of  spiritual  vision. 
(See  1  Cor.  ii.  14.)  But  all  this  is  done  without 
trenching  upon  our  free  agency.  The  sinner  acts 
with  as  perfect /reec^ow  in  every  stage  of  his  con- 
version— and  in  the  entire  development  and  growth 
of  the  spiritual  man — as  he  ever  did  in  rejecting 
the  Saviour,  or  in  prosecuting  a  secular  project. 
But  the  Almighty  Spirit  is  there,  gently  with- 
drawing the  scales  from  his  eyes,  unveiling  to  him 
his  real  condition,  disclosing  the  majesty  of  the 
violated  law,  the  awful  holiness  of  the  Godhead, 
and  the  efficacy  of  the  great  sacrifice,  swaying 
his  reluctant  will,  loosening  his  hold  upon  the 


SAVED.  147 

world,  and,  by  degrees,  leading  Mm  on,  in  peni- 
tence, and  doubt,  and  anxiety,  towards  the  cross — 
and,  at  length,  to  the  Saviour  himself.  It  is  while 
you  are  "  striving  to  enter  in  at  the  strait  gate," 
and  occupied  with  looking  to  Christ,  and  as  the 
cause  of  your  doing  this,  that  the  Spirit  is  "work- 
in  you  to  will  and  to  do  of  his  good  pleasure." 
And  it  is  through  the  efficacy  of  his  renewing 
grace,  that  you  do,  as  the  first  act  of  the  new  life 
He  has  imparted  to  you,  open  your  heart  to  Jesus 
of  ISTazareth  and  cry,  "  My  Lord  and  my  God  !" 

The  exercises  which  precede  this  receiving  of 
Christ,  are  endlessly  diversified.  "  By  the  law  is 
the  knowledge  of  sin."  "The  law  is  our  school- 
master to  bring  us  to  Christ."  And  the  "law- 
work"  (as  the  old  divines  expressed  it)  is  longer  or 
shorter,  milder  or  more  pungent,  in  different  cases. 
In  most  of  the  examples  of  conversion  recorded 
in  the  i^ew  Testament,  it  was  of  brief  duration. 
Witness  the  dying  thief;  the  three  thousand;  the 
jailer  of  Philippi;  the  Roman  converts.  (Acts 
xxviii.)    In  some  cases,  there  was  intense  anxiety 


148  THE    GREAT    QUESTION. 

and  terror,  as  witli  tlie  jailer  and  tlie  publican. 
While  in  others,  there  seems  to  have  been  no  con- 
vulsion of  feeling  whatever,  but  an  humble  and 
grateful  reception  of  a  crucified  Saviour  as  soon 
as  he  was  made  known :  to  this  class  may  be  re- 
ferred the  instances  of  the  centurion  (Luke  vii.), 
the  Ethiopian  eunuch  (Acts  viii.),  and  Lydia  (Acts 
xvi.)  The  same  diversity  has  obtained  in  later 
times.  Luther  was  a  long  while  groping  his  way  to 
the  cross — no  strange  thing,  certainly,  when  we 
consider  the  circumstances  in  which  he  was  placed. 
This  also  was  the  experience  of  Bunyan,  and  of 
that  great  man.  Dr.  Owen ;  both  of  whom  passed 
through  protracted  and  painful  conflicts.  But  in 
numerous  other  cases  of  undoubted  conversion, 
there  has  been  a  close  resemblance  to  those 
Scriptural  examples,  in  which  the  soul  was  drawn 
to  the  Saviour  with  cords  of  love. 

Nothing  is  more  common  than  for  individuals 
newly  aroused  to  serious  reflection,  to  insist  upon 
a  specific  measure  of  "  conviction,"  as  an  essential 
pre-requisite   to   their   coming  to   Christ.     That 


CONVICTION.  149 

some  degree  of  conviction  is  demanded,  appears 
from  the  fact,  tliat  no  one  will  seek  a  Saviour  until 
lie  feels  himself  to  be  lost.  "  They  that  are  whole 
need  not  a  physician,  but  they  that  are  sick."  But 
the  precise  extent  to  which  this  law-work  shall  be 
carried  in  any  given  case,  depends  on  the  sove- 
reignty of  God.  K  Jesus  sees  fit  to  send  a  word, 
in  passing,  to  the  heart  of  Matthew,  sitting  at  the 
receipt  of  custom,  which  shall  instantaneously  trans- 
mute him  into  a  disciple ;  and  to  consign  Saul  of 
Tarsus  to  three  days  and  nights  of  blindness  and 
contrition  and  remorse ;  neither  may  complain — 
Saul,  that  he  experienced  too  much  distress,  nor 
Matthew  that  he  experienced  too  little.  The  most 
intense  mental  anguish  has  no  merit  in  it.  And 
the  ardent  desire  for  it,  on  the  part  of  awakened 
sinners,  frequently  springs  from  a  subtle  spirit  of 
self-righteousness — from  a  feeling  that  it  would  in 
some  way  recommend  them  to  the  Saviour,  or  move 
his  pity  towards  them.  How  fallacious  this  idea 
is,  might  be  seen  from  the  fact  that  individuals 
sometimes  experience  the  most  torturing  convic- 
tions, without  being  converted.  Of  what  avail 
14* 


150  THE    GREAT    QUESTION. 

were  tlae  convictions  of  Cain — of  Jndas — of  Fe- 
lix ?  Nor  is  it  less  important  to  observe,  that  the 
feeling  of  which  I  am  now  speaking,  is  derogatory 
to  the  Saviour.  It  aims  at  the  securing  to  the  sin- 
ner himself  a  share  in  the  gloiy  of  his  salvation. 
He  would  come  to  Christ  with  a  price  in  his 
hand — deeming  himself  not  altogether  unworthy 
of  his  clemency,  because  of  his  tears  and  his  self- 
reproaches  and  his  mental  anguish.  Distressed 
and  humbled  he  may  well  be ;  if  he  could  see  his 
sins  in  all  their  enormity,  his  remorse  and  terror 
would  far  exceed  anything  he  has  yet  experienced. 
But  there  is  no  merit  in  this.  It  has  no  efficacy 
to  expiate  the  least  of  his  transgressions.  It  can- 
not, in  the  slightest  degree,  mitigate  his  ill-desert. 
And  so  long  as  he  trusts  in  it  to  make  himself  less 
unworthy  to  be  accepted  and  saved,  it  will  prove 
an  invincible  barrier  to  his  coming  to  Christ  at 
all.  K  we  are  ever  saved,  it  must  be  by  coming 
to  Christ  as  miserable,  depraved,  ruined  and  help- 
less sinners,  without  righteousness  and  without 
strength,  feeling  that  all  the  merit  must  be  his, 
that  his  blood  alone  can  cleanse  us,  and  that  it  is 


COME    UNTO    ME.  151 

for  God,  in  his  wise  and  holy  sovereignty,  to  de- 
cide, whether  we  shall  be  sprinkled  with  that  pre- 
cious blood  or  left  to  perish.  It  is  to  those  who 
are  soothing  themselves  with  a  complacent  self- 
righteousness,  which  as  often  assumes  the  type 
just  indicated,  as  any  other,  he  says,  "  Because 
thou  knowest  not  that  thou  art  wretched,  and  mi- 
serable, and  poor,  and  blind,  and  naked,  I  com- 
mand thee  to  buy  of  me  gold  tried  in  the  fire,  that 
thou  mayest  be  rich ;  and  white  raiment  that  thou 
mayest  be  clothed,  and  that  the  shame  of  thy  na- 
kedness do  not  appear;  and  anoint  thine  eyes 
with  eye-salve  that  thou  mayest  see." 

It  may  be,  that  amidst  the  variety  of  topics 
which  offer  themselves  for  consideration  in  ex- 
amining this  vital  question,  you  find  your  mind 
confused.  Let  me  say  then,  that  the  duty  of  one 
who  desires  without  longer  delay,  to  make  his 
peace  with  God,  is  perfectly  simple  and  plain. 
It  is  defined  in  that  expression  so  often  cited, 
"  Come  unto  me,  and  I  will  give  you  rest."  You 
have  but  this  07ie  thing  to  do.     You  need  not 


152  THE    GREAT    QUESTION. 

(now)  perplex  yourself  with  inquiring,  whether 
the  Spirit  has  changed  your  heart ;  nor  whether 
your  repentance  is  yet  deep  enough  to  "  author- 
ize" you  to  believe  in  Christ;  nor  whether  your 
motives  in  desiring  to  be  saved,  are  altogether 
pure  ;  nor  with  anything  else  pertaining  to  your 
own  exercises.     Your  warrant,  your  sole  warrant, 
for  coming  to  Christ,  is  contained  in  his  word, 
not  in  your  feelings.     It  is  as  much  addressed  to 
you,  as  to  any  other  human  being ;  as  much  as  it 
was  to  any  one  among  the  myriads  who  have 
appropriated  it  and  found  mercy.     It  is  well  to 
examine  your  heart  by  the  light  of  Scripture,  to 
review  your  life,  and  to  lay  to  heart  the  years  that 
have  been  spent  in  impenitence,  and  the  mercies 
that  have  been  abused ;  but  the  exclusive  contem- 
plation of  these  things,  will  divert  your  thoughts 
from  the  Saviour.     And  it  is  in  looking  to  Christ 
that  the  sinner  soonest  learns  to  appreciate  the 
evil  of  sin,  the  baseness  of  his  ingratitude,  and 
his  infinite  obligations  to  redeeming  mercy.    This 
in  fact,  is  genuine  repentance;   the  repentance 
which  flows  from  a  discovery  of  the  Divine  mercy, 


REPENTANCE    UNTO    LIFE.  153 

in  connection  witli  the  purity  and  spirituality  of 
tlie  moral  law.  "  They  shall  look  upon  Me  whom 
they  have  pierced,  and  they  shall  mourn."  It  is 
when  the  sinner  has  been  led  by  the  Holy  Spirit 
to  the  Saviour ;  when  he  looks  upon  Him,  he  has 
pierced,  and  beholds  the  Lamb  of  God  which 
taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world,  that  he  abhors 
himself,  and  repents  in  dust  and  ashes.  Then  it 
is  he  sorrows  after  a  godly  sort;  sorrows,  not 
because  he  di-eads  the  punishment  of  sin,  but 
because  he  feels  the  intrinsic  evil  of  sin,  and  sees 
that  it  has  been  committed  against  a  God  of  infi- 
nite goodness,  who'  has  been  all  his  life,  loading 
him  with  blessings.  Here  is  the  repentance  which 
is  unto  life  ;  and  it  is  so  far  from  being  restricted, 
as"  inquirers"  are  apt  to  suppose,  to  the  dawn  of 
religion  in  the  soul,  that  it  forms  an  essential  part 
of  the  daily  experience  of  the  Christian,  until  he 
exchanges  his  body  of  sin  and  death,  for  the 
beatific  life  of  heaven.  It  should  be  added  too, 
that  in  many  cases,  as  with  President  Edwards, 
Christians   experience   far  more   humbling    and 


154  THE    GREAT    QUESTION. 

affecting  discoveries  of  tlieir  deep  depravity  in 
after  years,  than  tliey  did  at  their  conversion. 

If  these  views  are  correct,  the  question  which  now 
concerns  the  reader,  is,  Are  you  willing  to  com  e 
TO  Christ  ?  Do  you  see  and  feel  yourself  to  be 
by  nature  and  by  practice,  a  lost  and  helpless  sin- 
ner ?  Is  it  your  earnest  desire  and  purpose,  God 
helping  you,  henceforth  to  hate  and  forsake  all 
sin  ?  Are  you  ready  to-  give  up  the  world,  that 
is,  the  supreme  love  of  the  world,  and  devotion  to 
its  interests,  for  the  love  and  service  of  God  ? 
Have  you  seen  the  insuificiency  of  your  own 
morality,  of  your  orthodox  creed,  your  hereditary 
faith,  your  reformation,  your  contrition,  your 
prayers,  your  religious  observances,  to  entitle  you 
to  forgiveness,  or  recommend  you  to  the  Divine 
compassion  ?  Are  you  prepared  to  renounce  all 
dependence  upon  these  things,  and  to  cast  your- 
self upon  the  mercy  of  God  in  Jesus  Christ,  to  be 
washed  from  your  sins  in  his  blood,  to  be  justified 
only  through  his  righteousness,  and  henceforth  to 


JUST    AS    I    AM.  155 

wear  liis  yoke,  to  own  him  as  your  Lord,  and  to 
spend  the  remainder  of  your  life  in  his  service  ? 
If  you  can  answer  these  questions  in  the  affirma- 
tive, what  hinders  that  you  should  not  notv  come 
to  Christ,  and  receive  him  as  your  all  in  all? 
"Unworthy,"  you  doubtless  are;  but  who  ever 
came  to  Christ,  being  worthy?  The  feeling  of 
"worthiness,"  would  actually  exclude  you  from 
his  offer :  for  he  "  came  not  to  call  the  righteous, 
but  sinners  to  repentance."  If  you  come  to  him 
at  all,  it  must  be  just  as  you  are.  Here  is  the  way 
in  which  you  must  come ;  described  so  well,  that 
I  see  not  how  any  uninspired  pen,  could  describe 
it  better: — 


"  Just  as  I  am — without  one  plea, 
But  that  thy  blood  was  shed  for  me, 
And  that  thou  bidd'st  me  come  to  thee, — 
O  Lamb  of  God,  I  come ! 

"  Just  as  I  am ;  and  waiting  not 
To  rid  my  soul  of  one  dark  blot — 
To  Thee,  whose  blood  can  cleanse  each  spot,- 
0  Lamb  of  God,  I  come ! 

"  Just  as  I  am,  though  tossed  about 
With  many  a  conflict,  many  a  doubt. 
Fightings  within,  and  foes  without, — 
0  Lamb  of  God,  I  come  ! 


156  THE    GREAT    QUESTION. 

"  Just  as  I  am — ^poor,  wretched,  blind : 
Sight,  riches,  healing  of  the  mind. 
Yea,  all  I  need,  in  Thee  to  find, — 
0  Lamb  of  God,  I  come  ! 

"  Just  as  I  am,  thou  wilt  receive, 
"Wilt  welcome,  pardon,  cleanse,  relieve, 
Because  thy  promise  I  believe — 
0  Lamb  of  God,  I  come  ! 

"  Just  as  I  am — thy  love  unknown, 
Has  broken  every  barrier  down : 
Now  to  be  thine,  yea,  thine  alone, — 
0  Lamb  of  God,  I  come  !"* 


I  anticipate  the  feeling,  with  which  some  of  my 
readers  may  listen  to  this  representation.  "I 
would  like  to  feel  thus,  but  I  do  not.  I  am  will- 
ing to  do  anything  which  may  inspire  me  with 
these  feelings,  and  aid  me  in  coming  to  Christ. 
What  am  I  to  do  ?  I  reply,  that  the  commands 
of  God  and  his  gracious  invitations,  call  for  an 
immediate  compliance.  All  things  are  ready. 
The  Saviour  bids  you  look  to  him,  and  live. 
The  present  is  his  time :  it  should  be  yours. 
Such  are  the  uncertainties  and  perils  of  life,  that 
a  single  day's  delay,  may  transfer  this  question 

*  I  learn  through  a  private  channel,  that  this  beautiful  Hymn 
was  written  by  Miss  Elliot,  of  Torquay,  England. 


A    CHART.  157 

from  a  world  of  liope,  to  a  region  of  despair.  I 
urge  you  then  to  go  to  Christ,  "just  as  you  are," 
without  an  hour's  procrastination.  But  if  you 
still  ask,  "  "What  can  I  do  to  increase  the  interest 
I  begin  to  feel  in  this  momentous  subject,  and  to 
assist  me  in  entering  upon  a  Christian  life  ?"  I 
answer,  by  suggesting  again  the  following  things, 
which  you  can  and  should  do. 

1.  You  can  deliberately  make  up  your  mind  as  to 
the  duty  of  attending  to  the  subject  of  religion  at 
this  time.  Count  the  cost  of  doing  it.  (Luke  xiv. 
25-33.)  And  determine,  as  the  grace  of  God 
may  enable  you,  whether  you  will  from  this  time 
make  it  your  paramount  concern,  to  seek  an 
interest  in  the  blood  of  Christ,  and  to  serve 
Him. 

2.  You  can  faithfully  exert  yourself  to  put  away 
all  hnotvn  sin.  You  may  be  free  from  gross  vices, 
but  you  can  not  be  free  from  sin.  You  may  be 
proud,  or  vain — ambitious — passionate — petulant 
— resentful — avaricious — deceitful  — censorious — 

15 


158  THE    GREAT    QUESTION. 

or  addicted  to  levity  and  foolish  jesting.*  You 
may  liave  slidden  into  unworthy  practices  in  your 
business.  You  may  be  excessively  fond  of  gay 
amusements,  and  the  frivolities  of  fashionable 
life.  You  may  be  chargeable  with  the  habitual 
desecration  of  the  Sabbath ;  at  least,  in  the  way  of 
neglecting  its  ordinances.  It  is  impossible  to 
cover  this  ground  by  an  enumeration  of  specific 
sins.  But  take  the  decalogue,  and  with  the 
assistance  of  any  good  exposition,  (such  as  the 
commentaries  and  catechisms  supply,)  endeavor 
to  discover  to  what  sins  you  are  prone.  And 
looking  upward  for  help,  begin  at  once  to  forsake 

*  "Foolish  jesting."  It  is  not  sufficiently  considered,  how 
hostile  this  habit  is  to  serious  reflection.  There  are  persons 
who  make  it  their  vocation  to  say  witty  things.  They  are 
looked  to  in  all  companies,  to  make  the  fun.  Like  the  king's 
fool  at  the  ancient  courts,  they  are  expected  to  turn  every- 
thing into  ridicule ;  and,  conscious  of  their  calling,  they  are 
perpetually  essaying  puns  and  pleasantries.  Not  to  comment 
on  this  practice,  as  a  matter  of  taste,  about  which  opinions 
might  differ,  there  can  be  no  question,  that  it  is  most  un- 
friendly to  religious  thoughtfulness.  The  individual  who  is 
so  unfortunate  as  to  be  addicted  to  it,  will  find  it  a  great  im- 
pediment to  his  salvation.  His  good  purposes  will  speedily 
succumb  to  his  levity  ;  and  he  may  barter  his  soul,  for  the 
paltry  reputation  of  a  humorist. 


BEGIN    NOW.  159 

and  watch  against  tliem.  Many  persons  appear 
to  suppose,  that  it  will  be  time  enough  to  put 
away  their  sins,  and  discharge  every  known  duty, 
after  they  shall  have  become  Christians.  This 
is  not  the  way  to  be  saved.  "  Turn  yourselves, 
and  live  ye."  (Ezek.  xviii.  32.)  "Let  the  wicked 
forsake  his  way,  and  the  unrighteous  man  his 
thoughts,  and  let  him  return  unto  the  Lord,  and 
he  will  have  mercy  upon  him ;  and  to  our  God, 
for  he  will  abundantly  pardon."  (Isaiah  Iv.  7.) 
The  fii'st  thing  to  be  done,  is  to  forsake  your  evil 
way,  and  even  your  evil  "thoughts."  Any  un- 
willingness to  do  this,  may  well  lead  you  to  dis- 
trust your  own  sincerity,  in  professing  a  desire  to 
enter  upon  a  religious  life.  There  is  no  more 
decisive  characteristic  of  one  who  is  really  "  striv- 
ing to  enter  in  at  the  strait  gate,"  than  a  careful 
and  humble  watching  against  all  sin,  whether  in 
thought,  word,  or  deed. 

3.  As  closely  allied  to  the  counsel  just  given, 
you  can,  to  a  considerable  extent  at  least,  avoid 
scenes  and  associations  ivhieh  are  liostile  to  serious 


160  THE    GREAT    QUESTION. 

reflection.  Religious  tliouglitfulness  is  too  mncTi 
au  exotic  in  your  breast,  to  tlirive  without  being 
sheltered  and  nurtured.  It  may  be  impaired,  and 
possibly  extinguished,  by  frivolous  talking,  by 
gay  amusements,  by  light  reading.  Nay,  the 
very  shame  of  the  cross,  and  the  stifling  of  con- 
victions, (Mark  viii.  38,  John  xii.  42,  43,)  may 
efface  your  impressions. 

4.  While  shunning  these  adverse  influences, 
you  can  court  those  of  an  o^jposite  character,  which 
will  fortify  you  in  your  good  purposes,  and  aid 
you  in  your  efforts.  Pre-eminent  among  these, 
are  the  services  of  the  Sanctuary,  both  on  the 
Sabbath  and  during  the  week.  I  mention  the 
last,  because  of  the  repugnance  you  may  have 
felt,  to  going  to  a  weekly  lecture  or  prayer-meet- 
ing. There  is  a  feeling  on  this  point  among 
many  persons,  as  irrational  as  it  is  pernicious. 
You  certainl}^,  if  you  are  in  earnest  in  seeking 
your  salvation,  will  not  disparage  these  social 
religious  meetings.  You  ^vill  gladly  avail  your- 
self of  the  valuable  assistance  you  can  derive  from 


THE    HOUSE    OP    PRAYER.  161 

them,  in  tlie  way  of  subduing  tlie  worldliness  of 
your  spirit,  emancipating  you  from  tlie  bondage 
of  things  visible  and  transitory,  and  bringing  you 
into  a  closer  fellowship  with  Christian  ordinances 
and  Christian  people.  It  is  well  to  breathe  the 
atmosphere  of  a  house  of  prayer.  It  is  in  the 
Sanctuary  too,  that  God's  truth  is  published  and 
explained ;  and  there  the  omnipotent  Spirit  most 
frequently  works  his  miracles  of  mercy,  in  the 
conversion  and  salvation  of  sinners. 

5.  You  can  devote  a  portion  of  every  day,  to  the 
devout  reading  of  the  Scriptures,  and  other  religious 
hooks.  Of  such  vital  importance  is  this,  that  it 
would  be  impossible  to  insist  upon  it  too  strongly. 
It  was  by  the  study  of  the  Bible  he  found  in  the 
convent  of  Erfurt,  that  Luther  was  gradually  led 
into  the  truth,  and  so,  in  the  end,  equipped  for  the 
Reformation.  The  Rev.  Thomas  Scott,  the  Com- 
mentator, whose  praise  is  in  all  the  churches, 
commenced  his  ministry  in  the  established  Church 
of  England,  as  a  decided  Socinian.  And  it  was 
through  the  blessing  of  God  on  his  private  study 
15* 


162  THE    GREAT    QUESTION. 

of  tlie  Scriptures,  that  lie  became,  some  years 
nfter,  an  able  expounder  and  defender  of  tlie  faith 
be  bad  once  destroyed.  Tbe  "  force  op  truth," 
the  narrative  in  wbicb  be  bas  portrayed  tbe  strug- 
gles of  bis  powerful  intellect,  in  escaping  from  tbe 
bondage  of  error,  is  one  of  tbe  most  interesting 
and  instructive  books  of  our  Cbristian  literature  ; 
and  you  would  do  well  to  read  it.  Tbe  radiant 
career  of  Mr.  Wilberforce  as  a  Cbristian  states- 
man, is  to  be  traced,  under  God,  (remotely  at 
least,)  to  bis  perusal  of  tbe  Greek  Testament  witb 
bis  friend,  tbe  Rev.  Isaac  Milner,  as  tbey  travelled 
together  from  England  to  Mce,  Still  more  re- 
markable was  tbe  conversion  of  Augustine.  In 
tbe  spring  of  tbe  year  372,  being  tben  tbirty-one 
years  of  age,  be  one  day  entered  bis  garden  near 
Milan,  in  great  distress  of  mind.  Tbe  sins  of  bis 
youtb,  a  youtb  spent  in  impiety  and  debauchery, 
weighed  heavily  upon  bis  conscience. 

"I  prostrated  myself,"  he  says,  "under  a  fig- 
tree,  and  with  tears  bursting  out,  I  spake  to  this 
effect :  '  How  long,  O  Lord,  wilt  thou  be  angry  ? 


AUGUSTINE.  163 

for  ever  ?  Remember  not  my  old  iniquities.  (For 
I  perceived  myself  entangled  by  tliem.)  How  long 
sball  I  say,  to-morrow  ?  Why  should  not  this  hour 
put  an  end  to  my  slavery  ?'  Thus  I  spake,  and 
wept  in  the  bitterness  of  my  soul ;  and  I  heard  a 
voice,  as  if  from  a  neighboring  house,  repeating 
frequently,  '  Tolle,  lege  !  Tolle,  lege  !'  (Take,  and 
read  !  Take,  and  read  !)  I  paused,  and  began  to 
think,  whether  I  ever  had  heard  boys  use  such  a 
speech  in  any  play,  and  could  recollect  nothing 
like  it.  I  then  concluded  that  I  was  ordered  from 
heaven,  to  take  up  the  book,  and  read  the  first 
sentence  I  cast  mine  ej^es  upon.  I  returned  has- 
tily to  the  place  where  Alypius  was  sitting ;  for 
there  I  had  placed  the  book  of  St.  Paul's  Epistles. 
I  seized  it,  opened,  and  read,  what  first  struck  my 
eyes  ; — '  not  in  rioting  and  drunkenness,  not  in 
chambering  and  wantonness,  not  in  strife  and  en- 
vying ;  but  put  ye  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and 
make  not  provision  for  the  flesh,  to  fulfil  the  lusts 
thereof.'  ISTor  did  I  choose  to  read  anything  more, 
nor  had  I  occasion.  Immediately,  at  the  end  of 
this  sentence,  all  mv  doubts  vanished.     I  closed 


164  THE    GREAT    QUESTION. 

the  book,  aud,  with  a  tranquil  countenance,  gave 
it  to  Alypius.  He  begged  to  see  what  I  had  read. 
I  showed  him  it,  and  he  read  still  further.  '  Him 
that  is  weak  in  the  faith  receive  ye :'  which  he 
applied  to  himself,  as  he  told  me.  With  a  placid 
serenity  and  composure,  suitable  to  his  character, 
in  which  he  far  excelled  me,  he  joined  with  me  in 
going  to  my  mother,  who  now  triumphed  in  the 
abundant  answers  given  to  her  petitions.  Thus 
didst  thou  turn  her  mourning  into  joy." 

The  morning-star  had  risen  in  his  heart.  "  Jesus 
had  conquered ;  and  the  grand  career  of  Augus- 
tine, the  holiest  of  the  fathers,  thus  commenced. 
A  passage  of  God's  word  had  kindled  that  glori- 
ous luminary,  which  was  to  enlighten  the  church 
for  ten  centuries  ;  and  whose  beams  gladden  her 
even  to  this  present  day.  After  thirty-one  years 
of  revolt,  of  combats,  of  falls,  of  misery ;  faith, 
life,  eternal  peace,  came  to  this  erring  soul ;  a 
new  day,  an  eternal  day,  came  upon  it."* 

*  Gaussen. 


SEARCH    THE    SCRIPTURES.  165 

The  case  of  Augustine  may  be  less  to  our  pur- 
pose tliau  tlie  others ;  but  they  all  illustrate  the 
importance  of  a  diligent  study  of  the  Scriptures. 
The  entrance  of  God's  word  giveth  light.  The 
Holy  Scriptures  "  are  able  to  make  thcB  wise  unto 
salvation."  You  will  not  study  them  in  vain. 
Let  your  reading  for  the  present,  be  cliiejiy  in  the 
JN'ew  Testament,  with  the  book  of  Psalms.  You 
will  probably  find  it  profitable  to  take  up  one  of 
the  Gospels,  say  the  Gospel  of  John,  and  read  it 
continuously.  In  connection  with  it,  read  some 
of  the  Epistles,  say  Philippians,  Hebrews,  1  Peter 
and  1  John ;  and  then  other  portions,  both  of  the 
Kew  Testament  and  the  Old.  A  judicious  Com- 
mentary, like  Scott  or  Henry,  may  be  of  essential 
service  to  you.  And  whether  you  use  a  comment- 
ary or  not,  the  examination  of  parallel  passages, 
as  indicated  in  the  reference  Bibles,  will  throw  a 
great  deal  of  light  on  the  sacred  text,  and  present 
familiar  truths  to  your  mind  in  new  and  engaging 
aspects. 

With  the  reading  of  the  Scriptures,  you  should 


166  THE    GREAT    QUESTION. 

have  in  hand  some  other  suitable  books.  I  know 
of  none  more  appropriate  than  those  mentioned 
in  a  former  Section.*  To  these  may  be  added, 
the  Pilgrim's  Progress,  N'ewton's  Letters,  Jay's 
Morning  and  Evening  Exercises,  Baxter's  Call, 
and  his  Saints'  Rest,  Dr.  J.  W.  Alexander's 
Thoughts  on  Family  Worship,  James's  Anxious 
Inquirer,  Henry's  Anxious  Inquirer,  Memoir  of 
Dr.  Gordon  (or  the  "  Christian  Philosopher  tri- 
umphing over  death"),  and  the  lives  of  Luther, 
Bunyan,  Henry  Martyn,  Wilberforce,  Hannah 
More,  Alexander,  Pay  son,  Neff,  !M'Cheyne,  and 
others  of  kindred  character.  Books  of  this  sort 
will  be  almost  certain  to  fix  your  attention :  your 
mind  will  be  kept  in  contact  with  religion ;  and 
the  more  you  read,  the  more  will  your  feelings 
become  enlisted  in  the  subject. 

6.  You  can  confide  your  views  to  some  kind  and  ju- 
dicious Christian  friend — and  with  great  advantage. 
This  is  a  point  where  many  stumble.     A  sinful 

Vide  p.  77. 


CHRISTIAN    COUNSEL.  167 

pride  puts  tliem  upon  concealing  their  thouglitful- 
ness  until  they  shall  have  become  established  in 
the  hope  of  the  Gospel :  then  they  mean  to  lay 
aside  all  disguise.  The  too  common  eflect  of  this 
is,  to  smother  and  destroy  their  seriousness  alto- 
gether. You  surely  have  some  friend  in  whom 
you  can  trust, — ^your  pastor,  if  no  one  else ;  and 
you  could  not  gratify  him  more  than  by  going  to 
him  on  such  an  errand.  Give  him  the  opportunity, 
and  he  will  explain  many  things  which  may  per- 
plex you.  He  will  point  out  your  mistakes  and 
dangers.  He  will  sympathize  with  you  in  your 
trials  and  temptations.  And  although  he  can  do 
nothing  effectual  for  you,  but  simply  say,  with 
John  the  Baptist,    "  Behold  the  Lamb  of  God, 

WHO  TAKETH  AWAY    THE    SIN    OF  THE  WORLD  !"       Yet 

he  may  do  this  in  such  a  way  as  shall,  by  the 
Divine  blessing,  greatly  help  you  in  finding  the 
road  to  the  cross. 

7.  I  waive  various  other  points  to  say,  in  con- 
clusion, you  can  pray.  And  pray  you  must,  if 
you  would  be  saved.  Pray  you  will,  if  you  are 
not  practising  self-deception.     I  mention  this  last, 


168  THE    GREAT    QUESTION. 

because  it  must  be  combined  witli  all  tbe  otber  du- 
ties wliicli  have  been  specified,  or  they  will  be  nu- 
gatory. Without  prayer,  you  can  neither  put 
away  your  sins,  nor  shun  evil  associations.  With- 
out prayer,  the  sei'vices  of  the  sanctuary  may  but 
harden  you ;  the  private  study  of  the  Bible  will 
be  dry  and  repulsive ;  and  the  counsels  of  Chris- 
tian friendship  will  fall  upon  reluctant  ears.  We 
have  not  the  slightest  reason  to  expect  that  we 
shall  ever  understand  the  Gospel,  or  ever  be  re- 
newed, or  pardoned,  or  saved,  without  prayer. 
There  is  nothing  more  indispensable ;  nothing 
which  promises  more  aflQuent  returns.  It  is  one 
of  the  endearing  titles  of  the  Deity,  the  Hearer 
of  Prayer.  (Ps.  Ixv.  2.)  We  are  every  where  ex- 
horted to  pray.  "  Seek  ye  the  Lord  while  he  may 
be  found;  call  ye  upon  him  while  he  is  near;" — 
a  command  addressed  to  those  who  are  immedi- 
ately told,  "  Let  the  wicked  forsake  his  way,  etc." 
(Isa.  Iv.  6,  7.)  "  Then  shall  ye  call  upon  me,  and 
ye  shall  go  and  pray  unto  me,  and  I  will  hearken 
unto  you.     And  ye  shall  seek  me,  and  find  me, 


PROMISE     OF    THE    SPIRIT.  160 

when  ye  shall  search  for  me  Avitli  all  your  heart." 
(Jer.  xxix.  12,  13.)  "  Men  ought  ahoaijs  to  pray, 
and  not  to  faint."  "  Ask,  and  it  shall  be  given 
you."  (See  the  whole  passage,  Matt.  vii.  7-11.  !See 
also  Phil.  iv.  <i.  1  Thess.  v.  17.  Ileb.  iv.  16. 
James  i.  5.     1  John  v.  14,  15.) 

Among  the  promises  connected  with  prayer, 
that  of  the  jSpirifs  influences  is  pre-eminent. 
(See  Luke  xi.  13.)  As  there  is  no  blessing  we 
so  much  need,  so  there  is  none  which  is  so 
freely  promised.  Let  this  be  your  encouragement. 
The  Holy  Spirit  can  do  for  yon  all  that  you  re- 
quire. He  can  remove  all  your  dithculties  on 
points  of  doctrine.  He  can  guide  you  into  the 
truth.  He  can  resolve  all  your  questions  of  duty. 
He  can  preserve  you  from  self-deception.  He  can 
awaken  in  your  breast  an  ingenuous  sorrow  for 
sin.  He  can  take  away  your  heart  of  stone  and 
give  you  a  heart  of  flesh.  He  can  unveil  to  you 
the  glorious  character  of  the  Redeemer,  and  lead 
you,  a  willing  and  joyful  captive,  to  his  feet.  He 
can  transform  you  into  a  new  creature  in  Christ 
16 


170  THE    GREAT     QUESTION. 

Jesus,  make  you  as  lioly  as  you  have  been  cor- 
rupt, prepare  you  for  heaven,  and  bring  you  there. 
Are  not  these  blessings  worth  praying  for  ? 

It  is  of  no  avail  to  say,  that  you  are  not  yet 
"good  enough"  to  pray;  that  your  heart  is  too 
callous ;  that  you  could  not  pray  with  "  pure 
motives ;"  and  that  God  would  not  hear  your 
prayers.  All  these  are  the  suggestions  of  pride 
and  unbelief.  It  is  setting  up  your  own  caprices, 
or  at  least,  your  own  misconceptions,  against  the 
clear  authority  of  God.  It  is  impossible  for  you 
to  examine  the  Scripture  testimonies  on  this  sub- 
ject, with  any  degree  of  candor,  without  perceiv- 
ing that  He  has  made  it  the  imperative  duty  of 
eve7'y  one  to  pray ;  and  that  you  have  no  reason  to 
look  for  his  blessing,  except  in  answer  to  prayer. 
Besides,  if  the  corrupt  state  of  your  heart,  the 
selfishness  of  your  motives,  and  the  ascendency 
of  the  world  over  you,  disqualify  you  for  praying, 
when  are  these  obstacles  to  be  removed  ?  and 
Jiow  ?  It  is  j  ust  the  case  of  a  sick  man  waiting 
to  cure  himself,  before  he  sends  for  a  physician. 


PRAY    WITHOUT    CEASING.  171 

Undoubtedly,  it  is,  that  "  evil  lieart  of  unbelief," 
which  constitutes  the  grand  hinderance  to  your 
salvation,  and  which  makes  it  impossible  for  you, 
not  only  to  pray  aright,  but  to  read  the  Scriptures 
aright,  to  hear  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel 
aright,  or  to  do  anything  else  in  such  a  manner  as 
to  receive  the  approval  of  a  holy  God.  But  what 
are  you  to  do  ?  Will  you  shut  up  your  Bible, 
will  you  absent  yourself  from  the  Sanctuary,  will 
you  cease  from  all  further  efforts  to  secure  your 
salvation,  because  you  are  too  sinful  to  do  these 
things  as  they  ought  to  be  done  ?  You  cannot 
but  see  the  sophistry  of  this  pretext.  It  is  because 
you  are  full  of  sin,  you  ought  to  prai/.  Pray  as 
the  publican  did.  Pray  as  the  dying  thief  did. 
Pray  as  the  father  of  the  demoniac  child  did : 
"Lord,  I  believe:  help  thou  mine  unbelief" 
Pray  thus,  and  continue  praying,  and  you  will 
not  pray  in  vain. 

To  imagine  that  you  have  no  right  to  pray  in 
your  present  condition,  is  a  sheer  illusion.  You 
have  no  right  to  abstain  from  praying.     To  sup- 


172  THE     GREAT     QUESTION. 

pose  that  it  could  do  you  no  good,  is  a  kindred 
mistake.  Try  tlie  ex[)erimeiit.  Unfit  as  you  feel 
yourself  to  be  for  it ;  conscious  that  your  heart  is 
still  selfish  and  worldly :  ashamed,  it  may  be,  to 
look  up  to  God,  and  take  his  name  upon  your 
lips ;  make  the  eftort.  These  very  impediments 
only  sho^v  ho^Y  much  you  need  to  pra3\  And  it 
will  surprise  and  encourage  you  to  find  how  cer- 
tainly they  will  yield  to  earnest  and  habitual 
prayer. 

Such  then,  is  the  answer  to  your  inquiry, 
"  What  can  I  do  to  become  more  deeply  interested  in 
religion?'' 

You  CAN  DELIBERATELY  MAKE  UP  YOUR  MIND,  AS 
TO  THE  DUTY  OF  ATTENDING  TO  THE  CLAIMS  OF  RE- 
LIGION. You  CAN  FAITHFULLY  EXERT  YOURSELF  TO 
PUT  AWAY  ALL  KNOWN  SIN.  YoU  CAN,  TO  A  CERTAIN 
EXTENT,  AVOID  SCENES  AND  ASSOCIATIONS  WHICH  ARE 
HOSTILE  TO  SERIOUS  REFLECTION.  Y"0U  CAN  COURT 
SUCH  INFLUENCES  AS  ARE  OF  AN  OPPOSITE  CHARACTER. 
You  CAN   DEVOTE    A    PORTION    OF    EVERY  DAY  TO    THE 


what  is  your  decision?  173 

devout  reading  of  the  scriptures,  and  other 
religious  books.  you  can  confide  your  views 
to  some  kind  and  judicious  christian  friend. 
And  you  can  pray. 

All  these  things  yon  can  do.  Yon  can  perse- 
vere in  doing-  tliem.  And  yon  have  for  more 
encouragement  to  set  abont  the  work,  than  yon 
have  to  prosecute  any  secular  scheme  or  business 
whatever. 

Are  you  willing  to  make  the  trial  ?  An  eter- 
nity of  joy  or  misery  may  hang  upon  your  decision. 
What  shall  it  be  ?  Will  you  still  neglect  the  great 
salvation?  Or  will  3'ou,  in  humble  dependence 
upon  the  Spirit  of  God  for  all  needful  grace,  begin 
at  once  to  consider   the    subject    of  personal 

RELIGION  ? 


THE     END 


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